A farm in Grouville has shared a photo on social media showing a man riding on the back of one of its pregnant Jersey cows.

Master Farms says it had been made aware the member of the public had entered one of its fields at the weekend and mounted a heifer.

Phil Le Maistre, Dairy Manager, says it is unbelievable.

"We can't quite believe that someone would ever think it's acceptable to enter a field of our cows and try to ride it like a horse.

"In the worst-case scenario, it would break its back or bruise the cow's back, just unacceptable really."

The farmer told Channel 103 the incident came to their attention when someone recognised it was Master Farm's field, after the images circulated around social media.

"All of our team that help us look after the cows every day, we take great care in ensuring that we give them the best life and raise them in the best way possible, and to see someone exploit this and just turn up in the field and think it's funny, it's just really, really upsetting."

The Facebook post said:

"We can not believe that anyone would ever think this is an acceptable thing to do. This causes a great deal of distress to the heifer and could and also puts you in danger (sic). "

It added that a vet would be visiting the cow today (3 June) to give her a full checking over.

The image has been passed to the police.

Asked how they had got the photo, Master Farms said:

"... it’s been posted on twitter, Instagram , Facebook and snap chat. We’ve been sent the photo from a lot of people this afternoon."

The social post has been shared more than 500 times, and islanders have reacted with disgust:

"Master Farms so sorry for the stress this will have caused the young lady and to yourselves also. The world would be a nicer place if it weren’t for some of the people in it !

If the culprit doesn’t come forward I sincerely hope the SOJP track him down and he’s dealt with appropriately, especially reimbursing your veterinary costs !"

"Master Farms did you have any luck tracking him down? I really hope the police take this seriously. If you need community pressure ask because a lot of us are outraged! X"

"This has just made me feel sick! Absolutely hideous! Hope she’s ok? "

Phil Le Maistre mentions the response from the community has been 'absolutely amazing'.

"We'd like to thank everyone for their kind messages and the support we've received.

"I'm sure we're going to identify who it is and then we can explain to them the severity of what they've done and tell them to get in contact with the police and tell them it was them that did it."