The 65-year-old pleaded guilty this week in the St Arnaud Magistrates’ Court to 27 charges of aggravated cruelty to cattle and four charges of failing to provide his cattle with proper and sufficient food near Donald in northwest Victoria.

He was also sentenced to 100 hours of community work under a community corrections order and subjected to a court order requiring him to have independent veterinary oversight on his farm for five years.  

Agriculture Victoria animal health officer Rebecca Keeley said inspectors found multiple herds of cattle in an “emaciated body condition” between January and June in 2015. 

“There was no available feed for the cattle and they were solely reliant on the provision of supplementary feed,” she said.

“A number of cows were found down and unable to rise and were subsequently destroyed by Agriculture Victoria inspectors.”

In her submission to the court, prosecutor Laura Krumins said the farmer had a fundamental duty of care that he failed to exercise to appropriate standards.

During sentencing, Magistrate Mark Stratmann accepted there were drought conditions but said the farmer did not take any steps to improve the conditions of his cattle despite repeated visits from animal welfare officers who recommended action.

Magistrate Stratmann said it was a case of “extreme neglect” and that there was “no excuse” for this offending.  

Ms Keeley said: “All reasonable attempts must be made to ensure suffering and weak animals are euthanased, and proper and sufficient feed is supplied.”