fbpx
Print this page
Wednesday, 01 June 2022 09:55

Winter grazing inspections underway

Written by  Staff Reporters
Gary Orr Gary Orr

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) inspectors are on the ground in Otago and Southland to support animal welfare as farmers enter the winter grazing season.

"MPI inspectors are conducting proactive visits to Otago and Southland properties to check farmers have good plans in place to manage the welfare of their livestock on crops," says MPI's director compliance services Gary Orr.

The visits will initially focus on 50 farms identified as being potentially at risk. "We'll use these first visits to check in with farmers to make sure they've made the necessary preparations. It will include taking farmers through a practical check list developed with industry and councils to help improve animal welfare outcomes.

"A well-planned winter grazing system supports good animal health and welfare. It ensures animals have sufficient and appropriate feed, access to clean water, and comfortable areas to lie down and rest.

"Some farmers will need to continue adapting their systems to ensure they have more robust back-up plans during extreme weather."

Follow-up visits will be conducted in June.

For the follow-up visits, MPI will prioritise those farms which were identified as high-risk in their first phase of visits, as well as any property where they have received complaint.

"Most farmer work hard to do the right thing and have carefully planned ahead to look after the animals," says Orr.

"Where we find evidence that an animal is suffering or is likely to suffer, we will take action. The welfare of the animal will always be our priority, so we look for practical actions to correct the issue.

"At the low end of the scale it could be the issue of a directive to move stock or provide access to stand off areas away from the feeding areas. For more serious issues we might bring in vets to make an independent assessment, require the farmer to bring in extra feed, and in the most serious cases taking a prosecution."

More like this

Fat to cut

OPINION: Your canine crusader understands that MPI were recently in front of the Parliamentary Primary Sector Select Committee for an 8-hour marathon hearing.

Waikato cattle farmers fined $23,000

A Waikato cattle farming family have been fined $23,000 for failing to provide sufficient food and care for their animals, resulting in more than half a dozen animal deaths.

Featured

Sheep drench resistance costly

Analysis by Dunedin-based Techion New Zealand shows the cost of undetected drench resistance in sheep has exploded to an estimated $98 million a year.

Dairy sheep and goat turmoil

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand for their products.

Hurry up and slow down!

OPINION: We have good friends from way back who had lived in one of our major cities for many years.

National

Govt urged to reduce ETS units

The Climate Change Commission wants the new Government to reduce NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) auction volumes as son as…

Dairy sheep, goat woes mount

Dairy sheep and goat farmers are being told to reduce milk supply as processors face a slump in global demand…

Machinery & Products

All-terrain fert spreading mode

Effluent specialists the Samson Group have developed a new double unloading system to help optimise uphill and downhill organic fertiliser…

Can-Am showcases range

Based on industry data collected by the Motor Industry Association, Can-Am is the number one side-by-side manufacturer in New Zealand.