The cruelty charges followed a campaign by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals where activists gained work as rouseabouts in 2013 and fitted themselves with cameras to film shearers at work.

The shearers were recorded picking up lambs and slamming them into the ground, while others stomped on sheep's heads and necks.

At Horsham Magistrate's Court on Friday the four guilty shearers, Bradley James Arnold from Natimuk in western Victoria, Horsham man Jake Lachlan Williams, Hamilton's Lindsay David Gillin and Graham Ivan Batson from Keith in South Australia, were fined between $2000 and $3500 each and disqualified from owning or being in charge of sheep for up to two years.

Magistrate Mark Stratmann said the shearers' actions were disturbing.

"The conduct in these proceeding is demeaning to the iconic image of an Australian shearer," he said.

"For decades, what goes on in a shearing shed would stay in the shed. But that is no longer the case."

Mr Stratmann said there was now an increasing interest from the community in animal cruelty cases.

"Shearing has been the source and inspiration for much of Australia's heritage," he said.

"The iconic image of a shearer bent over a sheep is an instantly recognised symbol in this country."

At an earlier hearing, Agriculture Victoria senior prosecutor Michael Woods said Arnold, 49, worked at a shearing shed at Nurrabiel near Horsham, in October, 2013.

The court heard that, on several occasions, Arnold struck sheep on the nose, head or face with his shearing handpiece or fists, causing the animal to bleed.

Arnold stomped on a sheep's neck and dragged it along the floor, where he slammed its head into the floor with sufficient force.

Mr Woods said on another two occasions, Arnold grasped a sheep's head and put his thumb into its eye socket.

He said Arnold also knelt on a sheep with his full weight during shearing and when he finished, dragged the sheep through its own urine.

Defence barrister Alan Marshall argued that Arnold's behaviour had changed since the time of the offending and he now taught other young shearers how to shear correctly.

Williams, 23, pleaded guilty to 22 charges, relating to his worked at a shearing shed in Nurrabiel in October 2013.

The court heard that Williams struck sheep to the face with his handpiece and fists.

Mr Woods said that on October 4, Williams stomped on the back limbs of a sheep, as well as its head and neck.

On another occasion, Williams picked up sheep and slammed them onto the ground.

He also stomped on a sheep's hind limbs after he had finished shearing.

Mr Marshall, who also represented Williams, said Williams was no longer involved in the industry as a direct result of these matters.

Batson, 49, pleaded guilty to six charges, relating to incidents from November and December 2013 at Poolaijelo.

Mr Woods said Batson struck sheep in the head with his handpiece.

On December 11, Batson picked up a lamb by its neck, stared into its eyes and shook the animal.

Defence barrister Erin Hill argued Batson lost his cool and knew his behaviour wasn't good enough.

She said the sheep were full and were wriggling about and Batson made a wrong, stupid choice.

"He is ashamed of what he has done," she said.

Gillin, 61, pleaded guilty to six charges, relating to incidents from February 2014 at Moyston.

The court heard that on a number of occasions, Gillin struck sheep with his handpiece.

Gillin's lawyer argued that his offending was at the lower end of the scale.

"He is now trying to do his bit to educate other men in the industry," she said.

Mr Woods said while shearing was a difficult and demanding task, shearers had a duty of care that they failed to exercise.

"The offences are of a serious nature and there needs to be a clear message of deterrence that cruelty is not to be tolerated," he said.

Mr Stratmann said all four shearers expressed remorse and had no prior convictions.

He said there was no evidence to suggest the shearers were under the influence of illicit drugs.

immera Mail-TImes