A farmer has been convicted for three Bovine Viral Diarrhoea-related offences in what has become the first conviction of its type in Northern Ireland.
Noel Henry Thornton, 64, from Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, appeared in court on Wednesday (14 November) and pleaded guilty. He was fined £750.
Mr Thornton was convicted of three charges of having in his possession cattle which had been moved in contravention of the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) Eradication Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2016.
BVD is a highly contagious viral infection of cattle which causes a range of clinical problems.
Most infected animals don’t survive to a productive age and it currently affects over 8% of cattle herds in Northern Ireland.
An industry-led scheme to eradicate BVD from Northern Ireland has been supported by legislation since 2016. Herdkeepers are required to tag and test all newborn calves and the movement of positive animals between herds is prohibited.
Mr Thornton is the first farmer in Northern Ireland to be convicted of BVD-related offences.
The case arose from a cattle identification inspection and follow-up investigation of Mr Thornton’s herd by officers from Department of Agriculture's Welfare and Enforcement Branch.
BVD positive animals from another herd were also found on Mr Thornton’s premises.
