Report finds 'significant operational gap' in NI cow cull

An independent report has made adverse findings about the management of a controversial cattle cull on farmland in Co Tyrone earlier this year.

On foot of a court order, which banned the farmer from keeping livestock, 51 cattle were destroyed.

The inquiry was established following a public outcry over how the cull was conducted by officials from Stormont's Department of Agriculture on a farm near Fivemiletown in June 2026.

MLAs raised concerns that the animals were shot in sight of members of the public and the carcasses left for a time until collection.

The inquiry was conducted by Dr Martin Blake, who is the former chief veterinary officer for Ireland.

Dr Blake was asked to assess the planning, decision-making and implementation of the cull by Stormont's Department of Agriculture.

He found that while shooting the animals was an "appropriate method", the planning of the operation had given "insufficient consideration" to the public reaction.

Dr Blake said in-situ culling had avoided the "additional fear, panic and distress that forced yard gathering and transport would have inflicted upon cattle unaccustomed to such handling".

But he said there was a "significant operational gap" in how the animals were cleared from the three parcels of land involved.

He also found that a decision to temporarily suspend the cull in order to facilitate the sale of some of the animals had brought additional complexity to an already difficult situation.

Members of the public gathered in the area.

Some animals broke out of the holding, and one bull had to be shot off-site.

In the sweep, three calves were missed, one of them was later found to have a neck wound - possibly consistent with a bullet wound.

There was also no record of how many rounds were fired by marksmen and how many of the animals needed a second, close quarter bullet to complete the cull.

But Mr Blake's main criticism was reserved for the department's failure to manage the public reaction to what unfolded.

"In summary, the operational choice was justified in light of the legal, animal welfare and operational considerations identified," he said.

"However, deficiencies in planning, record keeping and communications weakened the assurances concerning the decision-making process, while there was not sufficient weight given to anticipating and mitigating public and local distress and misunderstanding," he said.

The operation was carried out following a court order requiring Stormont's Department of Agriculture to act after a man was convicted of a number of offences and disqualified for life from keeping livestock.

The herd owner was given an opportunity to dispose of or sell the animals before departmental officials moved in to shoot the remaining livestock.

They were culled in the open on the farmland.

Minister of Agriculture Andrew Muir had said there was no reasonable alternative other than to comply with the court order by culling the cattle on site.

The decision caused huge controversy and led to a large demonstration by farmers at Stormont over the manner in which it had been carried out.

Some assembly members also criticised Mr Muir, accusing his department of having lost all credibility around matters of animal welfare.

Mr Muir claimed that politics was being played with the issue by his opponents.

He also revealed that he had received homophobic abuse and a death threat as a result of the controversy.