A Brent Knoll farmer has been ordered to pay costs of over £4,600 after breaching bird flu biosecurity measures and other offences.
Sally Jones, 63, of Brent Knoll pleaded guilty at Taunton Magistrates Court on Tuesday (31st January) to several offences.
These include causing unnecessary suffering to a calf, as well as breaching biosecurity measures put in place to reduce the risk of spread of bird flu.
Additionally, Jones also pleaded guilty to other charges, including failing to ensure that animals had access to a dry lying area.
She was also charged with failure to remove or repair sharp edges or protrusions which posed a hazard to livestock, and failure to dispose of animal-by products without ‘undue delay’.
The case against her was brought by the Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service following concerns by members of the public.
In January 2022, trading standards officers and a vet visited her smallholding in Brent Knoll and discovered a collapsed calf in an emaciated state which later needed to be put to sleep.
Officers also found that general farm welfare fell short of expected standards during their visit in January.
And poultry were free roaming despite there being an avian influenza housing order in place to ensure that all captive birds are netted or fenced off from wild birds.
Stephen Gardiner, of the South West Trading Standards Service, said: “Miss Jones has continued to fall short of her legal obligations in respect of both animal welfare and general husbandry duties.”
“With the steep rise of avian influenza across the country, it is imperative that all poultry keepers comply with the housing order.”
Jones was given a lifetime cattle disqualification along with a £307 fine for unnecessary suffering, £184 fine for the lack of dry lying area for her cattle, and £184 for the animal by-product offences.
She was also issued a £184 fine for the sharp objects in which her cattle and sheep had access, and a £184 fine for breaching bird flu biosecurity measures.
Jones was ordered to pay £3,495 in legal costs and a £104 victim surcharge.
Pictured: South West Trading Standards Service stock image
