Farmer's animals were submerged under slurry and water

Thady Hanrahan of Lackendara, Anglesboro, Limerick appeared at Mitchelstown District Court charged with permitting cattle to remain unburied and cruelty to animals.

The 30-year-old was convicted on both counts, fined ?1,000 and given a three-month suspended jail sentence by District Court judge Tim Lucey.

Patrick Mescall, a veterinary inspector with the Department of Agriculture, told the court he was asked by gardai to visit Mr Hanrahan?s farm at Anglesboro on March 19 last.

Mr Mescall said he found the carcasses in the flooded lower section of a cattle shed in the farmyard. Some of the carcasses were clearly visible and other cattle were standing in muck and water,? said Mr Mescall. There were about four or five carcasses, some of which had obviously been there for a long time. The shed was clearly not suitable for wintering cattle. I told Thady to put the remaining animals in an adjoining field that had plenty of grass and he agreed,? he added.

Mr Mescall also told the court that Mr Hanrahan was ?well overdue? a TB test for his herd, which was scheduled to have taken place last December.

Mr Hanrahan?s solicitor, Brian O?Callaghan, said that the build-up of water had been caused by a leaking tap and that the TB test was due to be carried out this week. He has also said that following the test he will move away from wintering cattle to concentrate solely on summer grazing,? said Mr O?Callaghan.