Farmer charged with ill-treatment of sheep & cattle
4 September 2009
A North Canterbury farmer was today fined $17,500 and ordered to pay court and investigation costs totalling $60,130 for allowing his stock to suffer from starvation. John Dalmer (74) pleaded guilty to charges under the Animal Welfare Act 1999.
In July 2006 a Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) Animal Welfare Investigator visited a North Canterbury farm following a complaint about the lack of feed for nearly 4000 sheep. He found little grass available for the cattle and sheep and the only supplementary feed on hand was so poor in quality as to be virtually useless.
The property had an almost total absence of stock management, an ‘open gate’ regime and calves that should have been weaned were still feeding from heifers.
Further visits by the Investigator and farm consultants established that the animals were grossly underfed. When asked about the total absence of pasture, the Mr Dalmer stated he hadn’t applied significant quantities of fertiliser for a number of years and attributed the ‘sad’ situation to that and the climate.
Mr Dalmer was directed to provide a high protein diet for the sheep and wean the calves. The defendant failed to comply with these instructions, leaving MAF with no choice but to intervene and move sheep and cattle to a suitable yard to allow veterinary examination.
The majority of sheep were so thin that they were graded as being severely malnourished. Animals in this state have a reduced muscle mass and virtually no body fat, as they metabolise healthy tissue to stay alive.
"This farmers actions left MAF with no choice but to euthanase 380 sheep and four cattle to end their suffering" said MAF’s Investigations Manager, Greg Reid.
"This is a case of a farmer failing to take responsibility for his animals even after being advised more than once what was required to stop their daily deterioration".
"The Animal Welfare Act 1999 places a duty of care on everyone who owns or is in charge of animals to prevent pain, suffering and distress. In this case, Mr. Dalmer has failed to act, with the consequence being that so many animals had to be euthanased."
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