Officials visited the farm during the outbreak

Mr Waugh, from Pallion, Sunderland, is appearing at South East Northumberland Magistrates' Court.

The 40-minute video taken at Burnside Farm in Heddon-on-the-Wall, Northumberland, in March last year was shown to Judge James Prowse, who is sitting without a jury.

It showed conditions at the farm which was used for fattening pigs before they were sold on.

Cameraman Bob Hedley filmed the central walkway of four pig sheds, including the pens. Some contained individual pigs and others had animals huddled together.

Sheep's spine

Most animals shown were barely moving and appeared listless. Some twitched as they lay on the floor.

Mr Hedley, a trading standards officer, pointed out a dead pig in one of the central walkways.

Metal knives, forks and spoons were shown among the feed which was piped directly into pens from a central processor on the farm.

Government expert in animal disease Sam Mansley also visited the farm.

He told the court: he had seen part of a sheep's vertebrae and a Chinese porcelain soup spoon in a trough.

Inspector blamed

He was "surprised" there was so much cutlery found in the pens.

Mr Mansley said some of the pigs were "very sick" and one had to be shot because it was so ill.

He said Mr Waugh had tried to blame the disease on a recent visit by a government inspector.

Mr Waugh, of St Luke's Road, Pallion, Sunderland, denies the 16 charges brought by the council.

They are five counts of failing to notify officials of a foot-and-mouth outbreak, four of cruelty to animals and one of taking unprocessed catering waste on to premises where pigs are kept.

He is also charged with one count of feeding unprocessed waste to pigs, four of failing to dispose of animal by-products, and one of failing to record the movement of pigs.

The trial continues.