A farmer from Carmarthenshire has been fined several thousand pounds for violating TB restrictions.

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Alwyn Thomas showed a pedigree Limousin at the Royal Welsh Show in 2009, whilst his herd was under restrictions. He was fined £7,000 and forced to pay £9,000 in costs at Carmarthen magistrate's Court.

The cow itself was killed a year after the event as a TB reactor. Mr Thomas was told he had put cattle from across the country at risk through his actions in 2009. Thomas also pleaded guilty to 13 separate violations of restrictions and reporting requirements, as well as selling an animal at market with an incorrect date of birth recorded in its passport.   

The case was referred to Carmarthenshire County Council's public protection department after AHVLA discovered discrepancies in Thomas' record-keeping.

Environmental and public protection Councillor Jim Jones of Carmarthenshire County Council said on Monday, "This is a shocking case where a cow was taken to the Royal Welsh while its herd was under TB movement restrictions. The magistrates viewed these offences as being extremely serious which may have posed an unnecessary threat and could have had a significant impact on the farming community. I am delighted that we have had such a successful result."

On Monday, railing against the proposed badger cull, which forms part of Defra's 'bTB eradication strategy', the Badger Trust in England accused the NFU of spreading "disgraceful half-truths" in an attempt to garner support for culling. The Trust said the union had "Only reluctantly adopted recommended biosecurity measures [and] resisted better testing." The criticism was levelled in response to a poster issued by NFU, dealing with badger culling.