A review is being carried out into an incident which saw 51 cattle being shot dead in a field, with some of it visible to members of the public.

The cull took place in land near Fivemiletown in County Tyrone last month and it was carried out by the Department of Agriculture Environment and Rural Affairs’ (Daera) Humane Slaughter Team.

Sinn Féin councillor Eugene McConnell said that while there may have been valid reasons for the farm animals to be culled, the public way it was carried out was “disturbing”.

The department said it was carrying out a court order following a previous animal welfare conviction of the cattle owner.

A spokesperson for Daera said the court directed that the defendant be deprived of the ownership of all farmed animals and ordered the destruction of the animals.

But now fresh questions are being raised over how the cattle cull operation was carried out.

Warning: This article contains images of dead animals that some may find distressing

At a recent Mid Ulster Council meeting, reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), it was described as a “wild west scene” by McConnell, who was at the site of the cull.

A Daera spokesperson added: “During the operation, people in the area became aware of activity at the site, with a noticeable increase in local traffic on the adjoining county roads and a number of people gathering to intentionally observe the operation.

“Unfortunately, due to disruptions by a small number of members of the public, this operation took significantly longer than it should have taken.”

Speaking to BBC News NI, McConnell added: “I have never seen anything like it. It felt very inhumane, and it was extremely upsetting for those who came across the scene.

“Gun shots could be heard miles away, some people were just driving past, so questions have to be asked; did this cull have to take place in such an open way, surely there were other options?”