Farmer fined and disqualified

A Canterbury farmer has been disqualified and fined $26,000 after 40 calves had to be euthanised because of poor health, while hundreds of dead calves were left to decompose in what he called ‘‘the pit’’.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) staff euthanised 19 animals when they first visited John Yi Jian’s farm in August 2020, with a further 21 euthanised a month later ‘‘to end their suffering’’, MPI said.

The 62-year-old was housing 454 calves in pig sheds. They were mostly being cared for by a contractor who had no experience in calf rearing when MPI began an investigation after receiving a complaint.

Calves were found in sheds with poor ventilation, showing signs of disease and scouring, and were suffering from heat stress and dehydration, Murray Pridham, MPI regional manager animal welfare and National Animal Identification and Tracing (Nait) compliance, said.

Jiang has been sentenced in Christchurch District Court where he pleaded guilty to two charges under the Animal Welfare Act. He was disqualified from owning calves for two years and ordered to pay $5523 in vet costs. He was also fined $24,000 for Nait offences.

Tests on live animals by MPI animal welfare inspectors and veterinarians showed many were suffering from rotavirus, cryptosporidium and salmonella.

‘‘If not treated, all these illnesses include diarrhoea as a symptom and can lead to death from dehydration.’’

The investigation found Jiang, an alternative medicine practitioner, was using lavender extracts as a health supplement for sick animals. ‘‘While lavender might have health benefits for people – these were agricultural animals, and they require specific antibiotics and veterinarian treatment to manage or prevent illness or disease which he failed to do,’’ Pridham said.

The health of the sick calves began to improve when they were given antibiotics, he said.