None of the sheep culled by the Veterinary Services Department a year ago at a farm in Għarb were sick, according to the results of samples taken, a Gozo court heard .

Veterinary surgeon Frank Galea testified that he and his team had taken 152 samples from the brain stems of the culled sheep and none tested positive for Mad Cow Disease, which is the main disease they are tested for.

He was testifying in the case that Gozitan farmer Gianni Attard has instituted against the department in an attempt to stop it from culling the rest of his flock.

Mr Attard was recently fined €1.7 million for failing to register the sheep, and has appealed. Unregistered animals are automatically presumed sick but Mr Attard insists his sheep are healthy.

The court temporarily ordered the department to halt the culling last November. The remaining sheep on the farm are under a 24-hour police watch, which has so far cost taxpayers more than €80,000. 

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