Kaitoke farmer Tony Skews said thieves who shot and butchered his prize cow on Monday night are "gutless pieces of junk".
Mr Skews, who keeps just 15 cows on his property near Lake Wiritoa, said the animal had been shot with a .22 rifle and badly butchered by "amateurs".
"They have taken the back steak and four legs and just left the rest," he said.
"She was the fattest cattle beast on the property and this loss has cost me about $1500."
The farmer said he had owned the Hereford cow for about six months and she would have sold at the end of winter for $1800.