Heath defends badger cull

2:48pm Monday 20th May 2013

Agriculture minister David Heath has defended the imminent cull of badgers in Somerset and Gloucestershire.

South Devon's gentle giants are the "best yet"

2:47pm Monday 20th May 2013

More than 100 South Devon cattle put on a stunning display at the breed’s National Show last week.

Big increase in animal cruelty convictions, says RSPCA

8:26am Tuesday 30th April 2013

There’s been a sharp rise in the number of convictions for animal neglect and cruelty in cases brought by the RSPCA.  Convictions rose by a third in England and Wales last year.

Devon pig farm plans scrapped

8:57am Wednesday 24th April 2013

Plans for a pig farm with up to 8,000 animals in east Devon have been scrapped.

Pig farm plan in Devon

9:54am Friday 12th April 2013

Teignbridge planners are considering a proposal for a pig farm by the Exe Estuary in Devon.  Up to 8,000 pigs could be farmed at JMW Farms, on the Powderham Estate.  Although no planning application has yet been submitted, council officials are considering a scoping report.

Horse painkiller drug found in Asda corned beef

8:37am Wednesday 10th April 2013

Asda is recalling its range of budget corned beef after low levels of the veterinary pain killer phenylbutazone – known as bute – were detected.

NFU demands help for stricken livestock farmers

9:00am Saturday 6th April 2013

Livestock farmers left to deal with large numbers of dead sheep and lambs following the cold snap believe the Government and the National Fallen Stock Company have neglected to enact the one measure which would make a real difference. After a week of negotiations with Defra officials, the NFU has written to Secretary of State Owen Paterson to appeal again for financial help to allow the free collection and professional disposal of dead animals that are now beginning to be stacked up in farm yards as the snow thaws. Farmers have been battling to save sheep where possible but many are now at a low-ebb, emotionally and financially. Some have lost up to half of their breeding stock and the lack of grass and feed to sustain the rest is a real concern. Although Defra has announced a limited relaxation of the rules to allow farmers to burn or bury dead stock on farm, the NFU says Defra has so far refused to take the one single action that would really help farmers by committing to a package to collect those dead animals and dispose of them responsibly. This has left farmers to shoulder the burden of cleaning up these animals which may end up costing thousands of pounds. NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe said: “In some areas of the country, we could be talking of huge losses for individual farms. No-one wants to see piles of burning animals in the countryside - it is not practical or desirable to dig pits to bury large numbers on-farm. It also flies in the face of what we have been told over the past few years from government about dealing with dead livestock responsibly. “The only other options are for the farmers to pay someone to collect their dead sheep, or for them to load up their own lifeless flock into farm trailers and drive miles across the countryside to the knackers yard. This is yet another pressure for farmers who have been brought to their knees by a year that has seen upland livestock farm incomes halved, topped by the worst spring snow in living memory. “It is not fair or reasonable for government to expect families who have spent the past week digging their animals out of the snow to deal with the clean up entirely by themselves. We are not ungrateful for the measures that Government have announced but they are requiring farmers to do things which are simply not practical in the situation which they face.

Defra permits on-farm burials and burning to cope with mountain of fallen stock

12:00am Saturday 6th April 2013

Defra has permitted the on-farm burial or burning of carcases for farmers affected by the bad weather.

Fallen stock up 15% - and figures expected to worsen

9:27am Thursday 4th April 2013

Farmers and smallholders have seen a huge increase in the number of dead sheep and lambs - even before the recent heavy snow in Scotland and Wales.

Rare Large Whites killed in Dorset fire

8:50am Tuesday 2nd April 2013

It has now emerged that the fire which swept through a Dorset farm on Friday has devastated a business specialising in breeding rare Large White pigs.

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