Fourteen cattle die from dehydration after water disconnected at Coolmore-owned farm

Fourteen young cattle died of dehydration last week at a farm owned by Coolmore Stud after the animals’ drinking water supply was disconnected.The incident occurred at a farm in Brodeen in Co Tipperary, near the world-famous Coolmore Stud in Fethard owned by businessman John Magnier.According to a spokesman for Coolmore, the deaths resulted from “human error” after the animals’ drinking water was temporarily disconnected to allow the water trough to be cleaned.There was a failure to reconnect the drinking water and to monitor the cattle in a “timely manner,” the company said in a statement.READ MORE“Everyone in Coolmore is deeply, deeply, upset by what occurred and immediate steps were taken to prevent anything like this ever happening again.”It said it cannot comment further due to an “ongoing disciplinary process”.The Department of Agriculture said it is aware of “an incident” but said it could not comment on individual cases.Coolmore is home to several thousand cattle as well as its extensive bloodstock holdings. It employs about 1,300 people across its extensive horse stud and farm business. Cattle are often mixed in to graze in the same fields as horses.