An “amicable” settlement has been secured in the case involving the contamination of horse feed produced by Glanbia’s GAIN Equine Nutrition in 2020.
A spokesperson for Tirlán, formerly Glanbia, has said that all parties involved in the commercial court proceedings have concluded a mediation process.
Head of GAIN Equine Nutrition Joanne Hurley said it is “pleased to conclude this matter on amicable terms”.
The parties involved in the case include molasses supplier ED&F Man Liquid Products Ireland Ltd., Glanbia’s GAIN Equine Nutrition, Linley Investments, trading as Coolmore Castlehyde and associated stud farms, and horse trainer Aidan O’Brien.
The case arose when molasses supplied to GAIN was tested to be contaminated with the drug zilpaterol. The molasses was incorporated in some of GAIN’s horse feed and it led to the drug being detected in a number of prominent race horses.
The 18 horses, trained by Aidan O’Brien, and which were found to have traces of the banned growth hormone in their system, were withdrawn from races by the French horse racing authority.
Case
While the financial details of the mediated settlement have not been disclosed, during the initial court proceedings of the case, Tirlán sought €9m in losses due to the fall out the contaminated molasses caused.
Tirlán contested that ED&F was in breach of the supply contract between it and GAIN and therefore, guilty of negligence, leading to the molasses contamination. It argued that ED&F failed to carry out sufficient testing or inspection of the molasses products it supplied.
ED&F’s defence during the case focussed on the nature of its contract to supply the molasses to GAIN.
The Tirlán spokesperson told the Irish Farmers Journal that the case settlement was agreed on confidential terms and that therefore, GAIN will be making no further comment on this matter.
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