An independent review into the culling of 51 cattle near Fivemiletown has concluded that the operation was lawful and appropriate but identified shortcomings in its planning and execution.

The review was conducted by Dr Martin Blake, former Chief Veterinary Officer for Ireland, and published on 10 November 2026. It examined the implementation of a court order on 29 and 30 June 2026, following the conviction of a farmer for animal welfare offences and his lifetime disqualification from keeping animals. The court had ordered the disposal of the livestock.

Dr Blake found that the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) acted lawfully in implementing a valid court order, and that the culling method - shooting the cattle in their familiar pasture - was lawful and appropriate from an animal welfare perspective and supported by modern science as the most humane option available.

However, the review identified that insufficient consideration was given during planning to the visual and emotional impact on the public who witnessed carcasses left overnight in open fields. It also found shortcomings in clearance, field management, operational oversight, record keeping and risk assessment. There was no specific written policy governing the implementation of deprivation orders, with staff relying on historical custom and practice.

The operation involved three sites across four land parcels. Culling began around 11:25am on 29 June. By early afternoon, 14 cattle had been killed at one site, with others killed at two other locations. A decision was taken around 1pm to suspend the cull to allow a prospective purchaser to gather and buy the remaining animals. Despite this, three further cattle were killed at one site, and the review could not determine why.

Later that evening, attempts to gather the remaining five cattle failed. The animals became agitated and escaped through boundary fencing onto a public road. A bull was subsequently culled in nearby woodland around 9pm after being assessed as a risk to public and staff safety. Two distressed neighbours who tried to move the animals onto their own land to buy them were refused, and the cattle were driven back onto the original holding, where two were later culled.

Three calves were initially unaccounted for. One was found on 3 July, another on a public road on 4 July with a neck wound described as reflective of a gunshot, and the third on 7 July. All were moved to another keeper. The injured calf most likely came from a site that had been declared clear but was not subsequently searched, which Dr Blake described as a significant weakness in clearance procedures.

A significant discrepancy was found between what senior officials and the Minister were told about carcass disposal and what the operational plan stated. A briefing indicated DAERA would arrange removal, while the operational team understood the landowner was responsible. DAERA ultimately assumed responsibility and removed all 51 carcasses the following day. The review also found that a Ministerial submission was sent shortly before the operation began and did not adequately highlight the associated risks.

Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir said the review's findings were accepted in full, with regular reporting and independent oversight to ensure improvements. He stated that he did not authorise or direct the operation and that he shared the genuine concerns expressed when he saw images of the carcasses. He said all ten recommendations would be implemented.

The recommendations include changes to how future enforcement operations are planned, authorised and communicated, the development of a formal written policy, improved record keeping including ear-tag details and secondary shots, better site-clearance procedures, and proactive communications planning. The review also calls for a multidisciplinary panel to determine the most proportionate approach to future major deprivation operations and urgent legal clarification on responsibility for animals after ownership rights end.

DUP assembly member Deborah Erskine described the report as damning and called for the Minister to apologise to the Fivemiletown community and set out a timetable for implementing the recommendations. Ulster Unionist MLA Diana Armstrong said the review was a serious piece of work but raised questions about the justification for the cull, noting that 15 cattle had been gathered in a shed on the morning of the operation and that the herd had previously been gathered for TB testing.

Sinn Féin agriculture spokesperson Declan McAleer welcomed the acceptance of all ten recommendations and said the focus must now be on delivery and rebuilding trust with the local community.