A Manawatū farmer has been sentenced to 10 months home detention and is disqualified from owning farm animals after 28 of his cows were found starved to death.
Fifty-one-year-old John Baskerville Wood pleaded guilty to five serious charges under the Animal Welfare Act in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday.
Wood was responsible for 232 cattle and 1400 sheep at his Rangiwahia farm when the Ministry of primary industries investigated on September 8, 2020.
"The livestock were Mr Wood’s primary responsibility and he failed to provide proper and sufficient feed over a long period of time, leading to the deaths of a significant number of cattle," says MPI regional manager animal welfare Joanna Tuckwell.
Tuckwell says a further 29 cattle had to be euthanised due to their "extremely poor condition".
"These cattle were in terrible condition. They were weak and emaciated. There was no other option but to euthanise them to end their suffering."
Inspectors found evidence of severe malnutrition which they say likely caused the deaths of the 28 cattle found throughout paddocks and swamps on the farm.
MPI says Wood told their Inspectors he had been aware of at least 15 of these animals dying as far back as July that year, which he put down to weather conditions and starvation.
"MPI found that some of the cattle had most likely entered swampy areas looking for food but were weak and became stuck in mud, eventually dying."
They say there was no evidence of supplementary feed being purchased or a plan to sell cattle to reduce stock on the farm.
"A veterinarian brought on to the farm to inspect all animals concluded that the 28 cattle would have died slow painful deaths over about a week and this would have included multiple organ failure due to a lack of food and dehydration."
MPI inspectors were told by Wood that he didn’t have euthanasia procedures on-farm, or the means or ability to humanely euthanise animals.
“These cattle suffered unreasonable and unnecessary distress due to starvation. Most farmers do the right thing for their animals."
Inspectors also found Wood had failed to meet the nutritional needs of 127 cattle and 600 sheep.
"Poor animal welfare behaviour can potentially affect the reputation of other farmers in the eyes of the public and in overseas markets. In New Zealand, everyone must take responsibility for their own animals,"
"We strongly encourage anyone who is aware of possible animal ill-treatment or cruelty to report it to the MPI animal welfare complaints freephone 0800 00 83 33," says Tuckwell.
The Court awarded costs of $15, 541.80 to the Ministry for Primary Industries.
