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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Community animals face slaughter | Community animals face slaughter |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Officials are expected at a religious community in Carmarthenshire later to slaughter two more animals which have tested positive tests for bovine TB. | |
| Last month, Skanda Vale's temple bullock Shambo was killed after testing positive for the disease. | Last month, Skanda Vale's temple bullock Shambo was killed after testing positive for the disease. |
| Monks lost a long-running legal challenge to save Shambo and staged a protest ceremony as he was taken away. | Monks lost a long-running legal challenge to save Shambo and staged a protest ceremony as he was taken away. |
| The Welsh Assembly Government has now ordered the slaughter of a young water buffalo and a 15-year-old bullock. | |
| However, the monks said there would be no repeat of the ceremony which took place on the day Shambo, a six-year-old Friesian, was killed by lethal injection. | |
| Life is sacred and we have repeatedly asked the assembly government to work with us to find a solution which doesn't involve killing Brother Michael | Life is sacred and we have repeatedly asked the assembly government to work with us to find a solution which doesn't involve killing Brother Michael |
| After Shambo's death, more tests were carried out on animals at the community. | |
| On Thursday, officials are set to take the young water buffalo away, but will have to slaughter an older bullock on site because it is too frail to be moved. | |
| Rural affairs minister Elin Jones said: "Formal notices have been issued to the community at Skanda Vale for two more bovines at the community to be put down to bring the outbreak of bovine TB there under control." | Rural affairs minister Elin Jones said: "Formal notices have been issued to the community at Skanda Vale for two more bovines at the community to be put down to bring the outbreak of bovine TB there under control." |
| Brother Alex of Skanda Vale said the community was "very disappointed" by the new slaughter notices. | Brother Alex of Skanda Vale said the community was "very disappointed" by the new slaughter notices. |
| "I think we have exhausted all possibilities in terms of legal challenges," he said. | "I think we have exhausted all possibilities in terms of legal challenges," he said. |
| And Brother Michael said the slaughter of the two animals would be another "unacceptable desecration" of the community's way of life. | And Brother Michael said the slaughter of the two animals would be another "unacceptable desecration" of the community's way of life. |
| He said: "Life is sacred, and we have repeatedly asked the assembly government to work with us to find a solution which doesn't involve killing." | He said: "Life is sacred, and we have repeatedly asked the assembly government to work with us to find a solution which doesn't involve killing." |
| Shambo first tested positive for bovine TB during a routine screening on 27 April, but was not killed until 26 July. | Shambo first tested positive for bovine TB during a routine screening on 27 April, but was not killed until 26 July. |
| Brother Michael said he did not accept that allowing the bullock to live so long had put the rest of the community's animals at risk. | Brother Michael said he did not accept that allowing the bullock to live so long had put the rest of the community's animals at risk. |
| He said: "Shambo was isolated. There was no way any problem he had could have been passed to any of the other cattle. | He said: "Shambo was isolated. There was no way any problem he had could have been passed to any of the other cattle. |
| Shambo was kept in a special enclosure for weeks at the temple | Shambo was kept in a special enclosure for weeks at the temple |
| "He was never in contact with any of the other cattle, so we don't accept that." | "He was never in contact with any of the other cattle, so we don't accept that." |
| However, the move has been welcomed by farming unions. | However, the move has been welcomed by farming unions. |
| Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan said: "This proves that what has happened at Skanda Vale has followed a classic trend of TB transmission with an initial infection apparently spreading to other animals." | |
| Llama and deer | Llama and deer |
| The fate of Shambo became the focus of worldwide attention after it first tested positive for bovine TB in April. | The fate of Shambo became the focus of worldwide attention after it first tested positive for bovine TB in April. |
| It culminated three months later when supporters from around the UK and overseas joined a religious ceremony as officials, backed by police, took the bullock away to be put down. | It culminated three months later when supporters from around the UK and overseas joined a religious ceremony as officials, backed by police, took the bullock away to be put down. |
| The Skanda Vale community has a wide range of livestock including an elephant, ponies, water buffalo, cows, bulls, llama and deer. | The Skanda Vale community has a wide range of livestock including an elephant, ponies, water buffalo, cows, bulls, llama and deer. |
| More tests on the 54-strong herd are due to be carried out within 60 days. | More tests on the 54-strong herd are due to be carried out within 60 days. |