Farmer kicked by cow is on the mend

In more than 30 years of farming cattle, Mr Crawford had never been involved in such an accident. Photo / Glenn Taylor

A farmer seriously injured when a cow kicked him and sat on him is recovering from "a few bumps and bruises" and is keen to get back on his farm.

Murray Crawford, 57, was loading cattle bound for the meatworks on to a truck in his Tihoi farmyard, north of Taupo, when the accident happened late on Monday afternoon.

No one witnessed the incident, which left the farmer of more than 30 years badly injured.

He was flown to Waikato Hospital by the Greenlea rescue helicopter, in a serious condition.

His wife, Mary Veltman, said he was making a good recovery and was desperate to get home.

"Nobody likes hospital. He will get to go home in the next couple of days possibly," she said.

They might never know what caused the animal to act the way it did, Ms Veltman said.

In more than 30 years of farming cattle, Mr Crawford had never been involved in such an accident.

"It wasn't witnessed so we don't know [the exact cause].

"He was working in the yard with some big cattle beasts and somehow he got flattened."

A local stockman, who did not wish to be named, said Mr Crawford had been lucky to escape with "a few bumps and bruises".

"He'll be sore and will need a few weeks off, but he'll be all right. It was just one of those things."

The Waikato District Health Board said Mr Crawford was now in a stable condition.

Ms Veltman paid tribute to the professional actions of the rescue helicopter staff and ambulance paramedics.