Mr Pilditch said that on arrival, an inspector observed a number of cows he believed to be emaciated and suffering from infection. Over the next two days inspectors assessed the body condition of about 4000 cows.
The "two stripe" cows were considered in need of urgent attention while the "one stripe" cows also fell below acceptable industry standards and were deemed at risk.
The charges before the court relate to 1106 cows in these two categories. A number of other cows were so ill they had to be euthanised.
Mr Pilditch said there had been a drought in 2009 and a snowfall days before the inspection however previously healthy cows should have been able to cope with these events. It was clear the cows had been underfed for months, he said.
He said that in June 2009, PGG Wrightson valued the farm's 5706 cows at $2.15 million - substantially below the $9.1 million MilkPride paid for them just a year earlier.
"They [the valuers] identified a large number of cows in poor condition," he said, adding this was part of the reason for the reduced valuation.
He said the condition of the cows was communicated to MilkPride at the time.
Mr Pilditch said that during the October inspection, the cows displayed a number of symptoms in addition to their physical state.
He said they made minimal movements, were "sick and depressed ... sad" and had sunken eyes. Their hair was matted, they sat with all four legs under their bodies to preserve body heat and didn't have the strength to hold their heads up, he said.
Defence counsel did not make an opening statement but Mr Pilditch said he anticipated defence experts would contest the ministry's assessment of the cows' condition.
The trial, before Judge Phillip Cooper, is expected to last four weeks.
