Amanda Owen furious over Reuben controversy after 'disgusting' video backlash

Our Farm Next Door star Amanda Owen has hit back after her son Reuben Owen was subjected to “disgusting” backlash for a controversial farming video. The Yorkshire Shepherdess, 50, saw her 21-year-old son fall victim to furious comments after he stepped in to assist a ewe during lambing season.

Viewers accused him of mistreating the sheep as he lay across it and lifted it by its horns. One furious comment at the time read: “Why are you treating the ewe like that? Absolutely disgusting and I'm disappointed as I thought you were better than that." Another added: “I didn't like how you held the sheep! Absolutely disturbing! Animals are treated with respect and not like trash!"

Now Amanda has rushed to Instagram to clear up the situation, explaining: “Here we go!!!! More disgusting and disturbing behaviour just for ewe. *Obviously we haven’t learnt anything, even after being slammed for the ill treatment of these woolly commodities.* Time to finally explain myself.

“Amazingly enough it’s been a busy couple of months, the physical birth element of lambing time is just a part of the picture. Post natal care is of utmost importance and consequently feeding issues can sometimes require a sheep to be caught in order to treat the issue.

“They are not particularly good patients but we treat them with care, compassion and as infrequently as possible.

“So far, after a lifetime of shepherding I have never had one willingly saunter over and request help with labour, breastfeeding or any other minor ailment.”

She went on to say: “Maybe it would be a lot easier to take care of them and handle them if they were all crammed into an industrial shed, not free to exercise and graze the meadows, moors & pastures????? But I reckon that we all know that being outside, free to wander and live naturally is a far better way for them.

“Incidentally the person most likely to be injured in the whole process of catching and restraining a sheep is me or even one of the sheepdogs."