A federal judge sentenced a Wisconsin man for selling livestock without the required government permission.

James G. Weyer Jr. of Glenwood City, WI was sentenced Wednesday to three years probation for unauthorized sale of cattle after he did not get permission from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Administration (FSA). Weyer pleaded guilty in May.

Prosecutors say Weyer got a loan from the FSA in 2003, and put up assets and livestock on his farm to secure the loan. Under the terms of the loan and federal law, Weyer was not permitted to sell any of the pledged livestock without permission of the FSA. At a cattle auction on November 1, 2005, Weyer sold one of the dairy cows pledged, in addition to 50 others.