THERE is no doubting the strength of feeling in some quarters about the manner in which 51 cows were culled in Co Tyrone. A large number of farmers protested outside Stormont yesterday as the agriculture committee met in emergency session to discuss the controversy. The department’s Humane Slaughter Team carried out the cull following the conviction of a man over animal welfare concerns. Mr Muir told the committee yesterday that animals had been “essentially starving to death”, with more than 30 carcasses and animal bones found. It is also vital that farmers and the general public have confidence that such operations are carried out only when necessary, and as humanely as possible.