• FFPM Grazing Ltd was fined $48,750 for animal welfare breaches after cows were left in mud.
• Two workers resigned after being directed to return animals to muddy paddocks.
• MPI’s Glen Burrell highlighted the need for well-planned winter grazing to ensure animal welfare.

Hundreds of cows left to forage in knee-deep cold mud, including one left to die, has led to fines of more than $48,000 for the grazing management company responsible.

Animal welfare inspectors visited a leased property near Tuatapere after a complaint and found the animals with their coats caked in mud from lying in it because they had nowhere else to go.

Southland livestock grazing company, FFPM Grazing, has today been fined $48,750 in the Invercargill District Court over four charges it admitted last October under the Animal Welfare Act. The animals' ordeal occurred despite efforts by workers to fix the problem.

Two farm workers became so concerned about the welfare of the animals they moved stock out of the muddy paddocks, but the company reacted by directing them to return the animals to the muddy paddocks, said prosecuting agency the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

The two workers resigned from their jobs. Three newly employed farm workers were directed to move the dairy cows to pasture areas only on dry days.

A Southland grazing firm has been fined more than $48,000 for creating conditions where cows had to wallow in freezing cold, knee-deep mud. Photo / MPI

MPI director of compliance and response Glen Burrell said the winter grazing practices at the property were “appalling”.

“Many of these animals, around 125, were stuck in mud to the extent that they were not able to display normal animal behaviour like walking and turning freely to access feed or rest in dry areas,” Burrell said.

He said the farm was running more than 2000 head of stock on a relatively small area of land, which contributed to the problem.

“Their coats were caked in mud, they didn’t have a suitable dry lying area and when they were lying down, they were lying in mud.

“There’s little insulation for an animal in mud and the animals were susceptible to the cold.”

He said MPI’s investigation found that former farm workers at the property had also warned the company and directors who leased the property against using silage stacks, which concentrated feed in one area and forced animals to gather there to feed.

“The property owner reiterated these concerns to one of the grazing company directors, but no action was taken.

“Our investigation also found that FFPM knew of a cattle beast dying in mud but made no changes to its grazing operation.”

Burrell said most farmers worked hard to do the right thing and had improved their winter grazing practices over recent years.

He said this case was an important reminder to plan ahead to get on top of problems before they developed.

“A well-planned winter grazing system supports good animal health and welfare.

“It ensures animals have sufficient and appropriate feed, access to plenty of clean water, and the ability to move freely to and from their feed and water.”

Burrell said MPI continued to engage with farmers and industry about winter grazing.

“We proactively visited around 20 properties throughout Southland during winter 2024 and found most farmers were on top of their winter grazing requirements with good plans in place.

“Our message to those who do not properly manage this issue is that there will be consequences.”

Burrell said animal welfare was everyone’s responsibility and MPI “strongly encouraged” any member of the public who was aware of animal ill-treatment or cruelty to report it to the MPI animal welfare complaints freephone 0800 00 83 33.

FFPM Grazing was also ordered to pay MPI $15,000 in costs.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.