Letter: No nightmares on my farm

Sir: The subtitle to your article "Man and beast" by Danny Penman (18 November) stated that "broken legs, cannibalism, heavy usage of drugs and constant agony is life for the average British farm animal".

I am a modern average British farmer on a modern average British farm; I keep average farm animals and could not recognise this nightmare that Dr Penman would have us believe is life for the average British farm animal.

The writer ignores the Farm Assurance Livestock Schemes, which are now an important part of modern British stock-keeping. Their primary aim is stock welfare through all stages from farm to butcher. Britain is leading the world in its welfare schemes and laws.

Dr Penman's insinuation that one quarter of British cattle are fed illegal drugs is nonsense. Feed ingredients have to be declared by law. If he has proof to the contrary he should prosecute, with our blessing.

He also fails to realise that the death of so many lambs at lambing time is due to nature - not any mortal's fault but a rather nasty fact of life and death on a farm. Would he rather the farmer played God and changed the weather?

Animal welfare is a very serious matter. Average British farmers take the lives of their animals very seriously. They have to. Their livelihoods depend on it. Dr Penman should visit an upland stock farm; he might be agreeably surprised by what he finds.

ROBERT CARR

Melrose, Roxburghshire