Geronimo’s owner fears that the rest of her herd could also be culled, as it emerges she was barred from sending an independent observer to the post-mortem.

       Helen Macdonald was left in tears this week after her beloved six-year-old alpaca was dragged away by officials from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and euthanised. The animal had twice tested positive for bovine TB.

       Ms Macdonald, who claims the test results were false positives, had wanted an independent vet to observe Geronimo’s post-mortem. However, she received a letter from the Government Legal Department, telling her this was not allowed due to “health and safety, Covid-19 and site security reasons”.

       The alpaca breeder and veterinary nurse said she is now worried that the other five alpacas on her farm in Gloucestershire, which have been quarantining with Geronimo, could be tested using the same method she believed produced false positives, then be euthanised.

       “They have not been transparent about allowing an independent vet to witness the post-mortem,” she told The Telegraph. “We need full disclosure: who did it, where did they do it, what samples were collected, photos and video evidence, because I don’t believe they will be honest. It’s a real concern for the rest of my herd.”

       Ms Macdonald had wanted Dr Christopher Heawood, a Gloucestershire vet, to observe the post-mortem, which has now been completed.

       However, a letter from the Government Legal Department addressed to her on the day of Geronimo’s removal said: “The Animal and Plant Health Agency was not in a position to accommodate Ms Macdonald’s request… for health and safety, Covid-19 and site security reasons.”

       Geronimo was imported from New Zealand in 2017 and its killing was ordered following the two positive bovine TB tests.

       However, she battled through the High Court to appeal the decision, claiming the testing system relied on “flawed science”. Ms Macdonald thinks that the tuberculin primer injected into the alpaca’s skin, which is used to increase the sensitivity of the blood test, was responsible for the alleged false positives.

       Her struggle culminated in a judge ordering Geronimo’s death.

       Dozens of supporters have been camped out at Ms Macdonald’s farm, and a live webcam pointing towards Geronimo’s paddock was set up to ensure any action taken by officials was streamed around the world.

       ‘Abject cruelty’

       On Tuesday, Defra officials led the alpaca away from the farm to be killed with a rope tethered around its nose, an uncomfortable image described by Ms Macdonald as “abject cruelty”.

       She said: “They had to catch him first, then they tied him up with a rope and dragged him, and he couldn’t breathe. They tied him up in a trailer and drove him away. That should not have happened. He was supposed to be killed on the farm.”

       Ms Macdonald was not present on the farm when Geronimo was removed.

       One of her supporters was briefly arrested after squirting a water gun at police officers, who attended to support the Defra officials.

       She said she was in shock that no one had warned her what was going to happen.

       “They blocked the lane. There were big police vans. There were at least 25 officers. For Christ’s sake, it was just the euthanasia of one animal. They didn’t need to do any of that. Why wasn’t there an experienced alpaca handler there?”

       Asked if there would be a service to remember Geronimo’s life, Ms Macdonald said: “I can’t even go out to the paddock. I’m not even processing it yet. I think he’s still in the field. It’s just awful. We were working towards a positive outcome.”

       Defra was contacted for comment.