Friday, 12 February 2021 11:25

Canterbury farmer sentenced for reckless ill-treatment of calf

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size

A farmer has been fined $3,500 after he was found to have mistreated a calf.

A Rolleston pig and cattle farmer has been fined $3,500 for failing to euthanise an extremely emaciated calf, with body sores and hundreds of maggots in its mouth.

John William McFall, 55, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court yesterday on one animal welfare charge. He incurred fees of $581.50 for veterinary costs and $130 for court costs.

Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) national manager animal welfare & NAIT compliance Gray Harrison says people have a responsibility to prevent animal suffering and to ensure their animals’ needs are met.

“Mr McFall caused this animal to suffer unnecessarily. It had been left to suffer for 48 hours.”

The charge relates to a visit to McFall’s property by MPI animal welfare inspectors on 3 April 2020 following a complaint from the public.

“Initially, the officers thought the calf was dead. It was extremely emaciated with body sores and hundreds of maggots in its mouth.

“A vet inspection concluded the emaciated calf had been lying down for a significant period, and it had been unable to move for at least a day.

“The calf had been suffering from severe internal parasitism which led to weight loss. This situation was totally avoidable. Mr McFall did not give the animal the care it needed,” Harrison says.

He says the cow would have been extremely stressed because of severe hunger and not being able to get up.

He says any member of the public who is aware of animal ill-treatment or cruelty should alert MPI via the animal welfare complaints freephone so that action can be taken.

Featured

Federated Farmers Welcomes Pause on Waikato PC1 Rules

The Government has announced it will pause key parts of Waikato Plan Change 1 (PC1) in a decision that is set to give Waikato farmers a reprieve from new consenting and farm-planning requirements while the wider resource management system is overhauled.

Editorial: Time to Boost Organics

OPINION: The time has come for the Government to back the organic sector.

El Niño Warning: NZ Farmers Urged to Plan Fert Early

Plan ahead and be patient. That’s the message to farmers and horticulturalists from the chairman of the NZ Agricultural Aviation Association, Kent Weir.

NZ Industry Craves Ag Graduates, Says Massey Professor

The industry is crying out for graduates with agricultural related degrees.

CNH Tech Chief on Autonomous Machinery, AI in Farming

While GPS and guidance have become the norm and yield mapping and variable application continues to gain traction, most agricultural machinery manufacturers continue to expand their technology offerings, amalgamating the vast amounts of data being collected to streamline real-time and ongoing management decisions.

Carrfields Marks 50 Years as Rural Health Programme Grows

Celebrating 50 years in the rural landscape of Central Canterbury and beyond, Ashburton-based Carrfields, has been the exemplar for all aspects of modern agriculture via its extensive range of services including supply, growing, agronomic advice and marketing.