Sinn Féin Mid Ulster councillor Eugene McConnell said it was a very distressing scene and he had "never seen anything ilke it" after 51 cattle were shot dead in a field in County Tyrone last month. A review is being carried out into the incident, which was visible in part to members of the public and has prompted fresh questions over how the operation was handled.
The cull took place on land near Fivemiletown in County Tyrone and was carried out by the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs' (Daera) Humane Slaughter Team. The department said it was acting under a court order following a previous animal welfare conviction of the cattle owner.
A spokesperson for Daera said the court directed that the defendant be deprived of the ownership of all farmed animals and ordered the destruction of the animals. However, concerns have now been raised about how the cattle cull operation was carried out.
At a recent Mid Ulster Council meeting, reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), McConnell described it as a "wild west scene" and said he was present at the site of the cull.
"During the operation, people in the area became aware of activity at the site, with a noticeable increase in local traffic on the adjoining county roads and a number of people gathering to intentionally observe the operation.
"Unfortunately, due to disruptions by a small number of members of the public, this operation took significantly longer than it should have taken."
Warning: This article contains images of dead animals that some may find distressing
Speaking to NI, McConnell said he had never seen anything comparable and said the scene was deeply upsetting for those who encountered it.
"I have never seen anything like it. It felt very inhumane, and it was extremely upsetting for those who came across the scene.
"Gun shots could be heard miles away, some people were just driving past, so questions have to be asked; did this cull have to take place in such an open way, surely there were other options."
Why is the cull being criticised?
Fresh questions are being raised over how the cattle cull operation was carried out because people in the area could see and hear parts of it, despite the sensitive nature of the work. The incident has led to concern that members of the public should not have witnessed the killing in broad daylight.
DUP MLA for Fermanagh South Tyrone Deborah Erskine said the case raised serious questions.
"There are regularly incidents where Daera has to go in to cull animals for welfare reasons, but something went very wrong here.
"Members of the public shouldn't have seen this. In one case I'm aware of a father and son driving past this field and witnessed this in broad daylight, that shouldn't have happened."
"There is some very upsetting footage and pictures of this incident and it has caused huge upset in this community."
Erskine recently received correspondence about the case from Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir.
In the letter, Muir emphasised that the department was asked by a court to dispose of the animals and that the farmland in question was remote.
The minister said the operation was carried out in the field rather than in a yard due to "operational difficulties and health and safety considerations".
The minister said during the operation neighbours and members of the public became aware of activity at the site and that this resulted in an increase in local traffic.
He added: "Unfortunately, during operations a number of unforeseeable issues were created by a small number of members of the public, some of whom were seeking to disrupt the operation.
"This posed an additional potential risk which was factored and addressed by dynamic response."
He said that "due to disruptions by members of the public", the operation did not finish until after 22:00 and as a result the carcasses of the cows were not collected until the next morning.
Muir said it was "a highly sensitive operation" and that "these situations are rare".
He commended his officials for undertaking work "in the face of significant physical and mental challenge".
What has been said about the public reaction?
The minister said a meeting had been arranged with the police to "discuss the issues encountered in this case". The department has also said it will complete a lessons learned review to identify any improvements for future operations.
Commenting on the minister's letter, Erskine said she was "disappointed" that he was directing some of the blame towards the public.
She said: "From the members of the public I've been speaking to who were there, they were there to say 'please stop and think about you're doing here, because this is causing major upset in a quiet part of the countryside.
"What was witnessed here was pretty much a massacre in the countryside, but I welcome the fact that the minister has announced a review into this distressing incident."
The culling of farm animals in Northern Ireland is strictly regulated by Daera under specific laws. Mass or individual culls are generally restricted to notifiable disease control, welfare emergencies, or licensed slaughter.
McConnell said there was still a deep shock in the Clogher Valley community about the incident.
He said: "I described it like a Wild West scene and raised it at council level because that it is how the local community felt about it and they were angry and looking for answers."
The main thing now is that we don't want something like this to happen again, so there has to be learning from what has been a really traumatic incident for this community," he said.
The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) said it was aware of the incident, was seeking further information from the department and have asked to be notified of the outcome of the ongoing Daera review.
Independent Mid Ulster councillor Kevin McElvogue said: "It's inhumane the way this cull had been carried out in view of neighbours.
"We need to know the outcome of the review into this horrific act as soon as possible."
Daera said there had been engagement with the police, adding: "As with any large and sensitive operation, officials responded dynamically to issues arising on the day and will complete a lessons learned review to identify any improvements for future operations."
