The 139 animals were found to be in a poor state and underfed. Photo / 123rf
A woman’s farming career fell apart after Covid, collapsing into criminal liability when inspectors found 139 cattle in poor condition, including one so weak it could not walk without collapsing.
Mangawhai dairy farmer Glenis Stone and her farm manager Scott Silby were recently sentenced on four Animal Welfare Act charges after mounting concerns finally tipped into a prosecution.
The court heard Stone and Silby had been on the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) radar since 2014 with repeated visits concerning their animal-care practices, but this is the first occasion the pair has been taken to court.
After locals raised concerns about the state of Stone’s cows, MPI visited the property twice in 2021 with a veterinarian.
They immediately observed grass cover across the farm was low and there wasn’t enough feed.
Animal-welfare assessments were carried out across three herds using a 1-10 scoring system, where animals scoring below three were considered in poor health and those below two were classified as emaciated.
A herd of 67 Friesians and a black steer was found to be underfed, averaging a score of 2.9 while the steer scored two, reflecting minimal gut fill.
A separate herd of 45 milking cows averaged 3.2 while a calving herd of 25 cows scored 3.1, well below the expected condition score of five for calving animals.
This group showed signs of chronic lack of feed and the adult cows were notably in poor condition.
A bull was also found to be suffering from Bovine disease, was unsteady on his feet and could not walk far without collapsing. He was euthanised on site because of his condition.
Stone and Silby were charged in 2022 and pleaded not guilty, but more than three years later – on the morning their judge-alone trial was due to begin in September 2025 – they changed their pleas to guilty after negotiations with MPI.
At their sentencing, 81-year-old Stone sought a discharge without conviction (S106) through her lawyer Brent Harris, who noted her conviction-free record.
“Conviction free for as long as she has been, I would submit, there is at least an argument whether that conviction might be unnecessary or out of proportion to the level of offending in this instance.”
Harris said Stone had a long history with the Friesian association and had faced many issues with the farm post-Covid including the death of her husband, the loss of a milking contract with Fonterra and financial issues.
“De-stocking the farm immediately after Covid was complicated as the meat works were backed up,” Harris said.
“Stone would say she understands the importance of animal welfare and has tried to walk the walk for many years with that.”
MPI prosecutor Eilish O’Connor submitted the offending was moderately serious with 139 cattle found to be in a poor state.
O’Connor also noted Stone had been on MPI’s radar since 2014.
“MPI’s position is this should be tempered with the fact this offending happened and was ongoing for some time.
“There were multiple callouts, as it were, to the farm, finding cattle were in poor condition leading up to the prosecution in June 2021.”
Judge Philip Rzepecky said the cattle on the farm were vulnerable as they relied on farmers for their health and wellbeing.
Judge Rzepecky said it appeared the motivation for Stone’s S106 application was driven to protect her reputation in the community.
“These are the usual outcomes and stigmas associated with the prosecution process. I realise that must be difficult for the defendant but at the end of the day, Stone pleaded guilty,” Judge Rzepecky said.
“Her application is dismissed.”
Judge Rzepecky noted the defendants had made improvements since the prosecution, reducing their herd to less than 100 and improving the remaining cattle’s conditions.
Stone and Silby were fined $4000 each and Stone must pay $12,619 in legal costs related to the prosecution.
No order for disqualification of ownership of animals was made as Judge Rzepecky found steps had been made to reduce the farm to a manageable level.
Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.