The ram had horns growing into its eyes.
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A FARMER was fined £200 for letting a lamb's horns grow too long - and curl around into its own eyes.
The blinded lamb was seen "walking around in circles" on its own after being separated from the flock.
A court heard animal welfare officers found the lamb's horns had been allowed to grow against the eyes of the animal - blinding him in his field.
Farmer Lewis Jones, 76, was prosecuted for causing unnecessary suffering - after a court was shown a heartbreaking photograph of the blinded lamb.
The court heard it is "normal and reasonable practice for the horns of animals to be trimmed where there is a risk that they may grow inwards towards the head."
The prosecution was brought after council animal health officers paid a visit to Jones's farm last Christmas Eve following a complaint from a member of the public.
Aberystwyth magistrates heard another ewe had severe scabbing.
District Judge John Parsons told Jones: "The inspections of your flock have simply been inadequate.
"We know that the council inspector was easily able to find and identify the suffering of the ewe.
"He was able to identify the ram as suffering from its behaviour."
Jones was fined £200 after being found guilty of two offences of causing unnecessary suffering under the Animal Welfare Act after the lamb was rescued from his farm at Tanycastell, near Aberystwyth, West Wales. He was also ordered to pay £2,564 of prosecution costs.
The lamb made a full recovery after being rescued and the horns trimmed.
After the case, head of lifestyle services at Ceredigion County Council, Huw Williams, said: "Our Animal Health Officers work with the local farmers and the agricultural community in general to ensure that good animal welfare standards are maintained in the county.
"The vast majority of farmers work hard to ensure that the highest possible welfare standards for their livestock.
"Unfortunately, there are instances where the husbandry and welfare standards fall far short of what is acceptable."
Read more at http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/lamb-found-walking-in-circles-after-horns-grew-into-its-eyes-blinding-it/story-29744794-detail/story.html#s3161zoZ0SzdDtJC.99
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