A Hawke's Bay farmer has been sentenced to home detention after more than 200 of his sheep were euthanised due to neglect.
David Fraser Beck, 46, was sentenced to seven-and-a-half months' home detention and disqualified from being in charge of or owning sheep and cattle for 12 months after pleading guilty to three animal welfare charges.
When animal welfare inspectors visited his farm at Waipiropiro station, they found many sheep in his flock had been suffering from a range of problems caused by neglect. Some were starved, while others had severe flystrike and parasite problems.
During their first visit, animal inspectors had to "immediately" euthanise 17 sheep with active flystrike to prevent further suffering. Sheep carcases were strewn throughout the property.
During subsequent visits to the farm under a search warrant, inspectors examined 1497 sheep.
Ministry of Primary Industries district manager of animal welfare and NAIT compliance Tom Teneti said: "The body condition of just 59 of these animals met the minimum standards of the Code of Welfare for Sheep and Beef Cattle."
Fences and gates on the farm were in "disrepair" with some pushed over by sheep and cattle.
A further 219 sheep – suffering a range of problems including broken legs, lameness, severe flystrike, parasites and starvation – were also euthanised to end their pain.
“Mr Beck was an experienced farmer but failed to provide the basics – sufficient veterinary treatment and quality feed for his sheep,” Teneti said.
“It was clear that these standards, including providing sufficient food and water, were not being met and that preventative or remedial action was not being taken when animals were showing signs of ill health. Mr Beck was failing in his responsibility to these animals.
“Most farmers do the right thing for their animals and take early action where necessary. Mr Beck let these animals down."
Beck was charged with reckless ill treatment of 219 sheep and failing to treat ill or injured animals. He also faced a representative charge relating to 2164 sheep, that he failed to provide for with proper and sufficient food, preventative flystrike treatment, and to diagnose and treat sheep for internal parasites.
He pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced at the Hastings District Court.
He was also ordered to pay $5000 in costs to the Ministry of Primary Industries .
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