A number of cows are pictured lying in excrement in a milking shed, possibly in the Waikato. The photos were posted on Facebook before being removed. Photo/Supplied
A number of cows are pictured lying in excrement in a milking shed, possibly in the Waikato. The photos were posted on Facebook before being removed. Photo/Supplied
A farm worker's photos of cows lying amongst a poo-smattered milking shed have caused a stir on social media.
Federated Farmers have labelled the incident an accidental "balls-up" with the cows more than likely all cramming into the shed at once with those at the front getting crushed.
It's unclear where the farm is, but the man who posted it on the NZ Dairy Farmers Facebook page is listed as living in Te Awamutu.
It's also unclear whether the animals are alive or dead in the pictures. Some commenters urged the farm worker to get busy and help the animals - suggesting they are alive - rather than take photos and post it on social media.
The post was taken down after an hour being online.
Others assumed they were dead while others said they hadn't seen it before and urged the farmer to explain what happened.
One former farm worker told the Herald she believed they were more than likely alive and had got into the milking shed after workers forgot to shut a gate.
All it would have taken was for one cow to get stuck and others to follow it in from behind. She said cows defecate when they're stressed, which would be the reason for the state of the shed.
Federated Farmers president Katie Milne was shown the photos and agreed it was likely that a gate had been left open or the herd have broken the gate open and headed for the milking shed.
At least five cows can be seen stuck in amongst machinery in a poo-laden milking shed somewhere in the Waikato, sparking concerns from Farmwatch. Photo/Facebook
"Cows work by reward. They come in, get milked and go to a new [section] of grass and so I would say they've broken out or there's been stormy weather and they've gone home to the shed and the whole bloody lot of them have tried to get in there."
She said it was a "devastating" sight and "not a common thing".
"It's been a right cock-up, I really feel for those guys, that's devastating. It's not a common thing. I'm just about in tears looking at that, they'll be gutted. You feel for the cows and it's a real disaster for those guys, it's just a balls-up to the 190 per cent degree."
She believed the whole herd would have tried to cram into the shed and the pictures would show the impact on the worst affected.
"They're all 400kg each so they're all big bits of gear and if they start pushing on each other it's not pretty.
"If the whole herd broke out there could have been 100 cows, or 400 cows, all trying to get in there that's why that look likes that. It's not just those cows there's been a whole shit load more and they've ended up cramped up like that and they were stuck there."
She believed some of those pictured in the photos would still be in alive just unable to move.
