Dulas farmer banned from keeping livestock for ten years

A farmer from Dulas near Ewyas Harold has been banned from keeping livestock for ten years.

69-year-old Harry Glyn Prosser of Great Bilboa Farm Dulas pleaded guilty to six charges in total and was disqualified from keeping all animals (except his dog) for ten years after allowing livestock to suffer, failing to provide a suitable environment and for failing to correctly store and dispose of a large number of animal carcasses.

Mr Prosser was sentenced in September at Hereford Magistrates’ Court and received a 10 year disqualification order from keeping animals, a fine of £1800 with a victim surcharge of £180 and ordered to pay costs of £3200.

David Hough, Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards Service Manager, said: “This is a very serious case where the farmer has not provided a suitable environment for the livestock on the farm and allowed these animals to suffer without water and surrounded by deadstock.

Officers first attended Great Bilboa farm in 2019 and were shocked to find a large amount of dead cattle and sheep on the farm with many just being left where they had fallen. The live sheep and cattle had access to all of the farm including the dead stock and other numerous hazards such as chemicals, broken machinery and a lack of fresh drinking water. One calf was left in a small enclosure on its own with no water. The only other animals the calf could see were a pile of dead sheep.

It took several visits by Animal welfare officers to get Mr Prosser to remove the deadstock. At no time did Mr Prosser try to remove any hazards to the livestock on the farm or prevent the animals accessing the hazards. On further visits over the winter and early 2020 more livestock died and had not been disposed of.

David Hough added: “Herefordshire Council will continue to work with all livestock keepers to ensure that best practice is maintained on farms and small holdings, but we will not tolerate animal suffering and action will be taken against anyone who disregards the welfare of farmed animals.”