200 cows - found dead at dairy farm - Woolnorth, TAS

Monday, Sep 1, 2003

The RSPCA has found nearly 100 dead calves and 55 dead cows near a Woolnorth dairy farm in Tasmania's far north-west. A total of 200 dead calves have now been found in just over a week and inspections have begun at 12 nearby properties which are owned by the same company.

The RSPCA revealed it is likely to charge at least one person with aggravated cruelty after inspections on the farms. It alleges cows are starving, hygiene standards are poor and diseased cows and calves are left untreated. Last week, 100 dead calves were found in just three days. But the discovery of another 152 dead animals, on September 18, 2003, has confirmed the RSPCA's concerns about the Van Diemen's Land Company's farm management.

That company is largely owned by New Zealand dairy giant Tasman Farms, whose senior management will meet RSPCA officer Frank Bingham at Woolnorth early next week. The company has agreed to reduce the milking of 1,400 cows and will stop milking another 150 altogether. Mr Bingham says some of the animals may have been there for up to three months.

References

• ABC News - September 19, 2003

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.