Wednesday, 17 July 2024 11:55

Feral cattle wreak havoc

Written by  Peter Burke
MPI’s John Roche says farmers there are under huge pressure and life is very challenging for them. MPI’s John Roche says farmers there are under huge pressure and life is very challenging for them.

According to John Roche, MPI, the saviour for Chatham Island farmers this season has been the weather.

He says grass growth has been good and the stock are in excellent condition. But another problem looms in the background - feral cattle.

Roche says in many parts of the rugged islands roam wilds or feral cattle - animals that have likely escaped in the past, but which are now breaking down fences and eating feed that should be consumed by farmed animals.

To that end, MPI is working with farmers who have a problem with feral cattle to get rid of them; just recently a helicopter was used to track down and shoot these 'predators'.

Roche says the helicopter is the only way to deal with the problem given the rugged nature of the countryside. He says a programme will likely take another couple of months.

As time ticks by for a solution to getting lots of animals off to the mainland, there is the worry in the background of an animal welfare issue. Roche says this is not the case yet, but says he's working with his compliance team and the farmers themselves to avoid a problem.

More like this

Help available for flood-hit farmers

The chair of the Otago Rural Support Trust, Tom Pinckney, says he believes that they will be especially busy in the coming months as the enormity of the floods hit home.

Getting Onside

Time matters in a biosecurity response, says Ryan Higgs, Chief Executive of biosecurity technology company Onside.

No more tears for onion exporters

Onion exports to the lucrative Indonesian market are resuming after officials negotiated an end to costly pre-export methyl bromide fumigation.

Featured

State farmer opens pathway to ownership for more Kiwis

In a landmark move, the state-owned farmer Pāmu (Landcorp) is making four of its 44 dairy farms available for people wishing to take up various contracts including herd-owning, share milking, variable order share milking and contract milking.

Coming to a beach near you!

The popular Surfing for Farmers programme, which gives farmers a well-earned break from life on the farm, starts its eighth season from November 5.

MilkHub sold

Milk vat manufacturer DTS is selling its dairy automation business to MilktechNZ.

National

Machinery & Products

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

New F5 balers from McHale

Irish grassland machinery manufacturer McHale has unveiled the new four-model range of F5 fixed chamber balers.

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

'Mea culpa'

OPINION: The Reserve Bank’s rate cut is great news, albeit a bit late, but your old mate agrees with Act…

Fast tracked

OPINION: While the Government’s Fast Track bill is copping it from all the usual suspects – opposition parties, greenies, unions…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter