A Northland farmer facing allegations of stock neglect has succeeded in having some of his cattle returned to him.
In Whangarei District Court in November Alan Summers of Houhora, near Cape Reinga, had 318 cattle taken off him at the direction of Judge Thomas Everitt.
The cows were seized by the Ministry
of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) from Mr Summers' property in July, with 68 of them so emaciated they had to be shot.
After a three-day hearing in the High Court at Auckland last week, a judge ruled MAF had to return some of the cattle .
"The return of the cattle is dependent upon Mr Summers strictly following a farm management plan developed by an independent farm consultant," Earl Culham, of MAF's special investigation group, said in a statement today.
"The number of cattle will be determined once an assessment of the property is completed."
Mr Summers still faces criminal charges under the Animal Welfare Act, ranging from ill-treatment to failure to provide sufficient food, Mr Culham said.
"MAF will continue to monitor the welfare of the cattle in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act, until the criminal case is heard later this year," he said.
MAF was now considering the implications of the decision in regard to the ministry's powers of enforcement under the act, Mr Culham said.
"Clearly we need to consider the long term costs involved when we seize animals."
Since the seizure of the cattle, MAF had incurred costs of about $250,000, a total which exceeded the value of the herd, he said.
- NZPA
