A leading vet was in a critical condition in hospital yesterday after he suffered a brain haemorrhage when a cow kicked a metal gate into his face.

Experienced Jereme Darke, 45, fell backwards and cracked his head on the concrete floor after the heifer bucked the swinging cattle gate straight into him.

He was airlifted to hospital following the freak accident, suffering from a fractured skull, bleeding at the rear of the brain and other severe facial injuries.

Colleagues said Mr Darke, a director of Dorset-based Synergy Farm Health Veterinary Services, which operates across Dorset, Somerset and Devon, was critical but stable yesterday following surgery.

Andrew Davies, managing director of the practice, said: "We appreciate how devastating this news is to take and the emotions associated with it and we all know how popular and active a character Jereme is in the local and agriculture community. Our thoughts are very much with him and his family at this very difficult time for us all.

"There have been signs of optimism in the past 48 hours and the news has been received positively by everyone who knows Jereme.

"His family say they have been overwhelmed with support from the community and his partner, Louise, is at his bedside."

Mr Darke was caught by the cow while blood testing beef cattle at a farm in Donyatt, near Taunton in Somerset, at 3.10pm on January 9. He was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol – which has a specialist head trauma facility – to undergo surgery.

Following a procedure to remove the blood clot, reduce brain pressure and assess damage, doctors said he was responding well to treatment.

An update, posted on Synergy's website on Monday, said: "During the day Louise has seen flickers of reactions from Jereme. He has moved his eyelids and there have been other facial movements. Apparently he is moving his mouth a lot – old habits die hard.

"He also moved his hands slightly and when stimulated with a pain response test, he moved his hands up into the air more than he has done thus far."

Mr Darke, who lives in Devon, is joint Master of the Seavington Hunt and secretary of the Crewkerne Farmers' Skittle League.

He joined Kingfisher Veterinary Practice in Somerset, immediately after graduating from the Royal Veterinary College, London, in 1990, before working for Synergy.