Bull jumps fence and injures two

CATTLE ESCAPEE: A bull jumped a five foot steel cattle gate at Silver Fern Farms in Hastings before being shot last night. Photo/Duncan Brown

A runaway bull jumped a fence and put two people in hospital after escaping a yard in Hastings yesterday.

Authorities were called to the suburb of Whakatu after a bull from Silver Fern Farms hospitalised two contractors and escaped down the road.

Silver Fern Farms head of communications and sustainability Justin Courtney said the bull jumped over a 1.5m-high steel cattle gate in purpose-built cattle yards and a second steel fence.

"This is highly unusual. We have never seen an event like this at the plant before," he said.

Courtney said the bull had injured two people who were working on site. They were taken to hospital. The bull was "destroyed".

"Our site management team, emergency response team and health and safety team have worked with police and the Hastings District Animal Control to control the bull and it has been destroyed."

It is understood the bull was eventually euthanised by a private contractor.

A police spokeswoman said police were called because the aggressive bull kept charging at people.

Last night a Hawke's Bay District Health Board spokeswoman said the two injured men, in their 60s, were in stable conditions.

Courtney said Worksafe had been notified.