A Northland farming couple has been fined nearly $50,000 and banned from dairy farming over poor treatment of their farm animals and a lack of feed, which caused “severely underweight” cattle.
Mathew and Josette Hudson, aged 78 and 73 respectively, were fined $29,000 plus $18,213 in costs for veterinarian services and farm consultant fees when they were sentenced in the Kaitāia District Court this week.
The pair, from Kaingaroa in the Far North, pleaded guilty to four charges under the Animal Welfare Act, following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries [MPI].
MPI spokesman Brendon Mikkelsen said animal welfare inspectors visited the Hudsons’ farm in September 2020, following a complaint about the poor condition of their dairy herd and lack of feed.
Of the 242 cattle at the farm, 69 cows were below the minimum standard of body condition score, meaning they were too thin and needed urgent action to improve their condition.