Moray farmer ordered to carry out unpaid work after SSPCA discover emaciated cattle on Knockando property

A 63-year-old Moray farmer has been sentenced to 240 hours of unpaid work after emaciated cattle which ultimately died were found on his property.

Douglas Duncan, a lifelong farmer, appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court on Thursday after an inspection from the SSPCA found the neglected animals on his farm in Knockando.

The court heard that on June 5, 2022, concerned neighbours alerted the SSPCA to the poor condition of some of Duncan's livestock.

An inspector attended the farm and Duncan allowed them onto his property.

Behind a stone shed, they found three shorthorn heifers which were described as a "dreadful sight" by the inspector.

It was noted that their bones were clearly visible, their skin tightly stretched across their bodies and they were caked in "dried muck".

One of the three cows was already deceased at the time of the inspection.

Duncan said the animals had all calved but the inspector thought they looked too small for that to be the case.

He admitted to moving them the previous day as they had become too weak to stand and despite food and water being placed nearby, the cows were not physically able to reach it.

A vet, which the inspector asked Duncan to contact, arrived at around 5.30pm on the same day.

They determined that one of the remaining heifers was beyond recovery and euthanised it.

The final heifer was given a short window to see if recovery was possible but it was put down three days later.

The vet concluded that veterinary treatment should have been actioned sooner and that by the time they were called, the only option was to put the remaining cows down.

Defence solicitor Grant Daglish highlighted that the rest of his client's livestock were found in good condition and that Duncan thought he could use his own experience to nurse the animals back to health.

The court also heard that Duncan, who has no one to pass his farm onto, is gradually winding down his farming operations and has already reduced his stock.

Mr Daglish urged Sheriff Lindsay Foulis to treat the matter as a "one-off" and to consider admonishment.

Sheriff Foulis disagreed, however, adding: "Admonishment does not reflect the seriousness of this matter."

Duncan was sentenced to 240 hours of unpaid work to be completed within 12 months.