THE deadlock between Tibberton farmer Rob Chilman and the Ministry of Agriculture over the slaughter of his pedigree herd continued today.

MAFF confirmed earlier this week it was taking legal action to allow it to slaughter Mr Chilman's herd of 140 Holstein Friesians after being refused entry to Old House Farm on two separate occasions.

Today, Mr Chilman said he was playing a waiting game to see whether his herd would be saved.

"The ball's now in MAFF's court," he told the Evening News.

"My lawyers have spoken to their lawyers and we're playing a waiting game to see what the next move will be."

Villagers turned out in force at the weekend to help Mr Chilman blockade the entrance to his farm and bar access to MAFF vets. His farm was deemed to be ''contiguous'' after a suspected outbreak on neighbouring Ravenshill Farm on Saturday, April 7, which resulted in all the animals being slaughtered.

Mr Chilman has argued the cull is wrong because it was not carried out within 48 hours of the neighbouring outbreak and Ministry vets, who inspected his herd on Saturday, said they were fit and healthy.

Kempsey farmer Ron Annetts pledged his full support to Mr Chilman.

He runs a pedigree pig farm less than a mile from a ''confirmed case'' and next door to a ''slaughtered on suspicion' case, and assumed they would lose their livestock but all they have received from MAFF is a D-notice listing movement restrictions.

"Animals on two farms next to us were killed on April 10, although two days later only one farm was confirmed. But test results received a week later were all negative, even for the farm which had been confirmed," he claimed.

"We assumed we'd lose our livestock to, but all we received was the restriction of movement notice and a visit from a MAFF vet who said our livestock were healthy.''