Court hears bones were sticking out of cows on farm in Errol

Cattle at an Errol farm were so thin that their bones were sticking out from their bodies, the trial of two brothers accused of neglecting livestock has heard.

Archiebald and James Boreland are accused of failing to ensure the livestock had adequate food and water, failing to seek proper veterinary care for them, keeping them in an inadequate building and allowing them to become infested with an intestinal parasite.

The brothers deny the offence.

Witnesses at Perth Sheriff Court, including experienced veterinarians and SSPCA officers, have told how they were “shocked” by the condition of animals on the farm at Shipbriggs.

More than 90 cows and calves at the farm were said to have been kept in a building with a partially collapsed roof and a slurry-covered floor, while some of them had bones protruding from their body.

Three heifers at the site were in such a poor condition that they had to be put down.

The court was told the brothers had been warned about conditions on their farm but had failed to take action.

Their trial continues on Wednesday, when it is expected to conclude.