Rodney Grant Nicol

Rodney Grant Nicol

Published on stuff.co.nz 03/04/2021

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/125340503/tokoroa-farmer-fined-17500-after-neglect-leaves-11-cattle-dead

A Tokoroa dairy farmer whose neglect of young cattle led to 11 deaths has been fined $17,500 and warned he could be disqualified from farming if he appears on animal welfare charges again.

Rodney Grant Nicol​, 61, was sentenced in the Tokoroa District Court on Thursday, after earlier pleading guilty to seven charges under the Animal Welfare Act.

Nicol owns a 300-cow dairy farm and had 110 yearling cattle when the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) began an investigation on August 10, 2020.

MPI regional manager of animal welfare and NAIT compliance, Brendon Mikkelsen​, said most farmers do the right thing by their animals.

“[That includes] ensuring that they have sufficient food and are being treated for common conditions such as parasites. If we find evidence of deliberate cruelty to animals, we will hold the person responsible to account.”

During the first visit, an MPI animal welfare inspector found seven dead yearlings on Nicol’s paddocks.

Nicol told the inspector he believed the animals had died from parasites. Nicol was then instructed to drench all his yearlings for parasites within nine working days.

Further complaints about the treatment of the yearlings were received by MPI.

Another visit by an animal welfare inspector found 32 of the yearlings had not been drenched within the agreed time. Many of the animals were also suffering from chronic under-nutrition.

A veterinarian recommended two other yearlings be euthanised, including one that was so weak it was stuck in a fence. A tenth animal was found dead near these yearlings.

Nicol said an eleventh yearling that had been drenched and given a vitamin B12 shot, had died after being caught in a heavy rainstorm.

“The vet also noted that he had not come across young stock in such a state of malnourishment during his career as they were less than half the weight they should have been,” Mikkelsen said.

“These animals would have suffered greatly from the neglect Mr Nicol showed them.”

During the investigation Nicol told an MPI animal welfare inspector that he prioritised the wellbeing of his milking herd over that of his yearlings.

Nicol has previously appeared before the courts on an animal welfare charge involving failure to ensure reasonable treatment of a dairy cow with a broken leg, to which he pleaded guilty.