Otago dairy industry urged to take care on 'Mooving Day'

Sharemilkers move to another farm with their cows on May 31 and June 1. Photo / File

The Otago Regional Council is urging dairy farmers, sharemilkers and transport operators to take ''joint responsibility'' for reducing effluent spillage during the annual transfer of stock between farms.

The time of the year - May 31 and June 1 - when sharemilkers move to another farm with their cows is called ''Mooving Day'' by industry organisation DairyNZ, and is sometimes referred to as Gypsy Day.

A recent Otago Regional Council media release referred to Gypsy Day, but Dunedin city councillor Aaron Hawkins objected, saying the term ''gypsy'' was often used as a slur against Roma people.

ORC officials later said the term was still commonly used in farming circles, but because of its ''undertones'', the ORC would not use it in future.

ORC director environmental monitoring and operations Scott MacLean said dairy farmers, sharemilkers, and transport operators should take joint responsibility for keeping roads clean and waterways healthy.

Effluent spilled on roads from trucks carting stock created a ''potential hazard for motorists'' and if effluent entered waterways it could harm water quality, Mr MacLean said.

Farmers should stand stock off green feed overnight before they were moved, and we ''urge them to keep animals well away from waterways'' during the move.

Truck drivers should ensure effluent storage tanks were emptied before re-loading their trucks with stock, and use any of the seven effluent disposal sites around Otago.