Drought-stricken stock cause problems on Northland roads

Hungry and thirsty stock in drought-stricken Northland are wandering onto the roads. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Northland's drought may be endangering motorists - and stock - as hungry farm animals go wandering for food and water.

Police said there have been three crashes between vehicles and animals this month and 60 complaints of wandering stock.

Far North District Council spokesman Rick McCall said the drought, which was declared in January, may be part of the problem.

"Hungry and thirsty stock have no respect for fences and some landowners are grazing the 'long acre' because of feed shortages," he said.

Mr McCall said inadequate fencing was one of the main causes for stock getting on to the road, though there had been a noticeable improvement in the standard of fencing in the past 12 months.

He said many of the crashes were also a result of factors beyond the control of farmers, such as vehicle crashes and vandalism.

Whangarei District Council has adopted a policy of destroying wandering stock, bringing about a significant reduction in complaints.

The council's environment services group manager, Paul Dell, said the council destroyed about one cattle beast a month.

"Sad though it is, we have decided it is better to destroy stock that is left to wander on the road than to risk the lives of people in vehicles,"

Northland police road policing manager Inspector Clifford Paxton urged landowners to check their roadside fences regularly.

"Wandering stock pose a danger for road users, particularly at night when animals are hard to see," he said.

"If a vehicle hits a large animal at speed it could end in tragedy."

- NZPA