Post by stormy on May 30, 2007 7:08:32 GMT
Animal rights extremists have been accused of attacking a farm belonging to Peter Gott, who uses free range and organic methods and is also a mentor to Jamie Oliver.
Fences that were used to keep rare breeds apart were cut and ancient stone walls were broken down to encourage the wild boar to escape.
Mr Gott said: "We are a very welfare-friendly operation but certain species do not always get on well together.
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"Two saddleback boars and a wild boar fought and crushed four piglets to death.
"One sow has died and one sow who was due to give birth is so badly injured that we do not expect her unborn piglets to survive."
Mr Gott added: "How this can be described as animal rights I don't know." Sillfield Farm near Kendal, Cumbria was attacked in the early hours of Friday.
Jamie Oliver, who buys two pigs a week for his restaurant from Mr Gott, sent him a text message that read: "I am so sorry mate. Why would they want to do that? I just don't understand it at all."
Mr Gott's 150 wild boar roam free in 18 acres of woodland. The animals are fed on conventional pig feed as well as worms and grubs and he will not use growth promoters, genetically modified grain or additives.
The Highwayman Inn at nearby Kirby Lonsdale was also attacked.
Six windows were smashed, the tyres of vehicles in the car park were slashed and the attackers also sprayed "Free the Boar" on the wall of the pub, which buys meat from Mr Gott.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/29/npigs29.xml
Fences that were used to keep rare breeds apart were cut and ancient stone walls were broken down to encourage the wild boar to escape.
Mr Gott said: "We are a very welfare-friendly operation but certain species do not always get on well together.
advertisement
"Two saddleback boars and a wild boar fought and crushed four piglets to death.
"One sow has died and one sow who was due to give birth is so badly injured that we do not expect her unborn piglets to survive."
Mr Gott added: "How this can be described as animal rights I don't know." Sillfield Farm near Kendal, Cumbria was attacked in the early hours of Friday.
Jamie Oliver, who buys two pigs a week for his restaurant from Mr Gott, sent him a text message that read: "I am so sorry mate. Why would they want to do that? I just don't understand it at all."
Mr Gott's 150 wild boar roam free in 18 acres of woodland. The animals are fed on conventional pig feed as well as worms and grubs and he will not use growth promoters, genetically modified grain or additives.
The Highwayman Inn at nearby Kirby Lonsdale was also attacked.
Six windows were smashed, the tyres of vehicles in the car park were slashed and the attackers also sprayed "Free the Boar" on the wall of the pub, which buys meat from Mr Gott.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/29/npigs29.xml
