A HAMPSHIRE farmer is urging dog owners to clean up after their pets after half his 38 cows lost their calves.

Tom Gould farms near Bransgore and was devastated when his herd tested positive for neospora canimum - a parasite spread by dog and fox waste.

The animals are thought to have been infected after grazing in the Wilverley and Longslsade area, which is popular with dog walkers.

Mr Gould has spoken out in a bid to raise awareness of the disease and prevent it becoming a widespread problem in the Forest.

The 43-year-old commoner said almost half the 38 cows in his herd lost their calves, which he described as "absolutely devastating".

He added: “It's an awful set-back to lose half your income. I know there are very few bins in the Forest but we need people to take their dog poo home."

Dr Alex Crook, of Cedar Farm Vets at Ringwood, confirmed that 18 of Mr Gould's cows had aborted towards the end of last year.

He added: "I blood-sampled some of them to try to discover the cause.The stage of pregnancy at which the cows aborted suggested neospora caninum infection, which was confirmed when we received the results from the laboratory.

"This disease has cost my client a fortune financially, through no wrongdoing of his own.

"Unfortunately there is no treatment available, or a preventative vaccine. It is going to take a lot of time and money to get the herd clear of the disease.

"More awareness by the dog-walking public is essential to prevent this disease becoming widespread throughout the Forest."

The New Forest Dog Walking Code urges owners to clean up after their pets and put bagged waste in the bin.

Last night the New Forest Dog Owners' Group (NFDOG) urged Forest users to act responsibly but said neospora could also be spread by foxes.

A spokesperson for the Verderers said: “We are very concerned about the information shared by Mr Gould on neospora and obviously further investigation is required.”