An Auckland dairy farmer has been fined for unlawfully amputating the teats of seven cows.
The Ministry for Primary Industries say Pieter Nicholaas Smit, 60, used rubber rings as a tourniquet when performing the "significant surgical procedure".
"Teat removal is a significant surgical procedure. It should be undertaken by a veterinarian using anaesthesia," MPI animal welfare and national animal identification and tracing (NAIT) regional compliance manager, Brendon Mikkelsen said.
Smit was fined $3,250 in sentencing at the Morrinsville District Court for one representative animal welfare charge. He had earlier pleaded guilty to the charge.
The case began in May last year when an animal welfare inspector visited Smit’s Waiuku property to investigate a complaint.
"He admitted to using the rubber rings on the cows when mastitis did not clear up after treatment with antibiotics. The offending occurred over a 5-year period," MPI said in a statement.
"Teat removal is not a treatment for mastitis, and the practice is opposed by experienced veterinarians."
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