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Farmer Banned From Managing Or Owning Grazing Livestock

By Department of Primary Industries - 12th January 2005 - Back to News

A Gippsland farmer was sentenced to three months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and banned from having custody of any grazing livestock for a period of five years, after pleading guilty to cruelty charges in the Moe Magistrates Court recently.

The charges, 81 for cruelty and 5 for breaching court orders, were laid by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI).

They resulted from an investigation by DPI Animal Health and Welfare staff in 2003, following complaints about dead and starving cattle on properties managed by the defendant at Traralgon and Coalville.

Charges included failure to provide sufficient feed to cattle, omitting to do an act resulting in pain and suffering to cattle, failing to treat cattle and failing to provide veterinary attention for sick cattle.

The Department prosecutor told the court that cattle on the properties were suffering and many had died from starvation and parasites – worms and liver fluke.

The farmer pleaded guilty to a reduced number of charges.

Costs of $1000.00 were awarded to the Department.

DPI Senior Veterinary Officer Dr Sue Hides said the case highlighted both the importance of appropriate livestock management and the fact that it was unacceptable to allow livestock to suffer from starvation or lack of treatment.

Dr Hides advised that anyone who has custody of livestock must be aware of the feed and husbandry requirements for the stock.

"It is unacceptable to allow livestock to starve or to remain untreated for diseases such as parasitism caused by intestinal worm or liver fluke burdens," Dr Hides said.

The Department of Primary Industries has many resources and publications on livestock management, including industry extension officers, agricultural note information series, drought feeding manuals and Code’s of Practice for the various livestock enterprises.

This information is available from Animal Health and Welfare staff at DPI offices or at www.dpi.vic.gov.au.

SHEEP FLY STRIKE ALERT

With the recent warm and wet weather DPI Animal Health Officer Tom Glynn advises stockowners to be on the lookout for fly strike in sheep.

There are a number of different blowflies that can cause problems in sheep. However it is Lucilia cuprina, the primary green blowfly (or Australian sheep blowfly), a small shiny green fly, that is 'public enemy number one' as far as the Australian woolgrower is concerned. It was found in around 95% cent of all strikes around Victoria and is often the only species present. Not only does it initiate most strikes, it is the main species involved in their continuation.

Eggs are laid on areas of soiled wool on living sheep or openings in fresh carcases. Provided they remain moist the eggs take from 8 to 36 hours, depending on temperature, to hatch. Drying is fatal to the eggs.

Young maggots cannot damage sound, healthy skin and are killed by drying. However, skin affected with fleece rot or scalded with urine or diarrhoea will 'weep' fluid, and this allows the maggots to become established. Older maggots can attack and damage surrounding areas of healthy skin, thus allowing further eggs and maggots to establish readily.

Blowflies are estimated to cost the Australian sheep industry well over $100 million per year in deaths, lost production and treatment costs.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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