Farmer who starved Highland cows during drought fined

David Cameron was fined for failing to feed the cattle at his farm near Stirling

A farmer who starved his Highland cows during a drought has been fined.

David Cameron left the animals in a field at Broadleys Farm near Stirling without checking on them during an extended period of dry weather in the spring and summer of 2023.

Animal health inspectors found two of the cattle in an "emaciated" state following a tip off from an anonymous caller, while another had failed to develop udders after birthing its first calf due to "chronic malnutrition".

Cameron, 72, was fined £1,040 after admitting a single charge of causing unnecessary suffering to animals at Stirling Sheriff Court.

The cows were later fed by staff at a local cattle mart and auctioned off, with proceeds going to Stirling Council.

Cameron's lawyer said he had been a farmer for more than 50 years and had never previously been involved in such an incident.

He said Cameron had been keeping the animals in a field before they were transported to Ireland, but that had been delayed.

Cameron said he had arranged for someone to give the cattle supplementary feed and silage, but that ceased between April and June 2023.

The cattle were said to be in a field where a negligible amount of grass was available.

The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) had been informed of the cows' condition and passed it on to animal health and welfare inspectors from Stirling Council.

Investigators found no supplementary feed had been placed in the field and had not been for some time.

The court heard that two of the cows had a body condition score of just one out of five, classing them as "emaciated," while the others scored only 1.5 out of five, meaning they were "very lean".

Sheriff William Gilchrist told Cameron, who has 13 other cattle, that it had been his responsibility to ensure the animals were fed.

He told Cameron he had "failed" in that responsibility.

Sheriff Gilchrist issued a fine to Cameron after previously warning a prison term was a "possibility".

However, he stopped short of making an order preventing Cameron from continuing to deal in cattle, given his previous experience with the animals.