Farm dispute over dismissal

A former dairy herd manager claims he was unfairly dismissed by his employer after a dispute over a controversial method of stopping cows from kicking.

Gene Bristow was employed by Lyle Green, dairy sharemilker at Ikawai, 26km southwest of Waimate, to manage his 850-head dairy herd from January to October last year.

Mr Bristow said that over that time he and other employees inserted the tails of some of the cows into the cow's vaginas to stop them kicking while they tried to apply milking cups. He said it was common practice in New Zealand but not talked about.

In August Mr Green had to have three heifers treated with penicillin because they had swollen vaginas.