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Taranaki Lane farmer Rodney Wiggins was found guilty of breaking the tails of 136 cows in a herd of 195 that were inspected by MPI. (file photo)
A Taranaki dairy farmer was fined $ 40,000 and subjected to two years of intensive supervision for breaking the tails of 136 cows and cutting the tails of 26 cows.
Lane Rodney Wiggins, 53, had previously pleaded guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act following an indictment initiated by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI).
He was sentenced in the Hāwera District Court on Tuesday.
The court heard that in June 2018, MPI launched an investigation into tail breakage and tail docking at his farm.
Two MPI inspectors and a veterinarian inspected the tails of 195 cows and found 136 had broken tails. Of these, 111 had multiple breaks, between two and six per tail.
Also noted was the fact that 130 of the 136 cow tails were assessed to have breaks in the middle or high sections, suggesting that considerable force was used to cause a break.
In explanation, he said that he was under time pressure and that he had bent his tails while pushing the cows into the milking shed.
For breaking the cows’ tails, Wiggins was fined $ 35,000 and for the docking he was fined $ 5,000.
The court also ordered that he be subjected to intensive supervision for two years.
This condition means that Wiggins will have an immediate inspection of his herd by an MPI designated professional. You will then be asked to undergo follow-up inspections every six months, at your own expense.
In an emailed statement, MPI Regional Animal Welfare Manager Joanna Tuckwell said that while farming can be stressful, there is no excuse for this type of behavior.
“Although farmers sometimes use a cow’s tail to lead the animal where it should go, the best practice is not to lift or twist the tail. It takes excessive force to break a cow’s tail.
Cows injured by Wiggins would have suffered considerable pain, Tuckwell said.
“This action was simply cruel and unnecessary.”
Tuckwell said MPI took its role as a regulator for animal welfare compliance very seriously and where there was clear evidence of crime, prosecution ensued.
“Our advice to all those in charge of animals who may have personal problems on the farm is to seek help before this happens.”
