Killer buffalo was kept by farmer for eco-friendly soap business
A BUSINESSMAN killed by a rampaging water buffalo on his village farm had hand-reared the cattle in a family venture to sell eco-friendly soap, it emerged yesterday.
Ralph Jump, 57, was crushed to death on Tuesday in front of his two youngest children after the animal escaped its enclosure on the family’s land in Gwehelog, Monmouthshire.
His 19-year-old son, Peter, was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries and remains in a critical condition, while his daughter Isabel, 22, was taken to hospital with severe leg injuries.
The family were attacked after attempting to return the buffalo to its pen after it had strayed from the rest of the herd, according to neighbours.
Mr Jump, who survived a heart attack last year, moved to the three-acre farm six years ago and hand-reared buffalo calves alongside his children, who worked at the site full-time.
The 57-year-old was the managing director of an underfloor heating firm but rented the land in the Wye Valley to start a business producing soap from buffalo milk. The father-of-three worked alongside his two youngest children and told farmers he wanted to diversify the land. His oldest son Sam is an aspiring musician.
Mr Jump’s death was described as a “terrible shock” by friends and neighbours. One friend said: “Jon spent all his life in a shirt and tie but loved pulling on his wellies to get stuck in at the farm. He was as happy as anything there.”
A neighbour added: “You couldn’t hope to meet nicer people.
One farmer said: “Jon approached us last year about buying some hay for his buffalo. We asked him what he was doing and he said he was trying to diversify the farm. I think he had about a dozen buffalo at the farm and had bred a couple of calves over the past year or so.”
The farm is the base of the Bufalina Soap Company, which sells a range of scented buffalo soaps. On its website the company prides itself on being “all free from palm oil, parabens, petrochemicals”, using only natural ingredients.
Police confirmed they were called to the farm at around 3pm. A spokesman said the buffalo had been destroyed. Police and the Health and Safety Executive are investigating.