* Warning: The following story includes some graphic descriptions of animal mutilation
Animal rights investigators say they found a nightmarish scene of mutilated cows at a Northland dairy farm at the centre of animal abuse allegations.
Farmwatch hid cameras at a Northland farm which captured this man abusing animals. The farm is in the spotlight again over new allegations. Photo: Farmwatch
The farm is already in the spotlight following the release of a video last week that showed a man repeatedly beating cows with a metal pipe and verbally abusing them.
Now, a second video of the Northland dairy farm at the centre of allegations of animal abuse has been released this time showing cattle rotting in a pit.
The graphic video, filmed around five weeks ago, shows the bodies of cattle in different states of decomposition.
The footage was handed over to MPI.
Animal rights group SAFE has released the footage, filmed by Farmwatch, and those who filmed the pit estimate the number of carcasses to be in the hundreds.
It said the ministry should have properly investigated allegations of abuse and checked the bodies in the pit when it visited the farm earlier in the year.
"Lots and lots of carcasses, of calves and cows, lying around, just dumped in some sort of a dumpy area near a stream, these animals were experiencing different ways of mutilation, some have their throats cut, some have bits cut off them, and it was a bit of a nightmarish scene, quite shocking really," said SAFE spokesperson Hans Kriek.
SAFE said the bodies were rotting and rats were seen running over them.
"It's really hard to determine the cause of death were for some of these cows, obviously some could have died from natural causes and so on, because that happens on farms, because of the large numbers, it's certainly reason to be concerned and also some of the cows were found with their throats cut.
"Now just cutting the cows throat to kill it would actually be an illegal way to do it, they would have to be stunned prior and it's impossible to tell whether that was done."
Mr Kriek said SAFE was concerned that MPI didn't examine the pit when a complaint of alleged animal abuse was first made.
"Had they done so, they could have maybe determined if there was foul play but they didn't even go and have a look," he said.
"We're quite concerned that such a potential great piece of evidence was simply overlooked because people couldn't be bothered having a wander around the farm."
Those who filmed the offal pit said it sat right next to a stream which, SAFE said, might cause water contamination.
According to Dairy NZ, regional council rules regarding offal pits vary but should be at least 100 meters from any surface water, open drain, wetland or neighbouring boundary and poor carcass disposal can result in contamination.
It said an offal pit should be inaccessible to dogs and vermin by covering the top of the pit with a heavy-duty concrete slab.
SAFE is calling for the ministry to be stripped of its animal welfare responsibilites.
MPI said it was unable to directly comment on an open investigation.
"MPI executed a search warrant on the Northland property on Thursday 28 June. MPI and an external vet inspected the property and the herd over two days. This included inspection of the carcasses in the offal pit," said MPI spokesperson, Gary Orr.
"As this is an active investigation, MPI can't go into any further detail or specifics of the case as we do not want to prejudice what may be provided to a court," he said.
Mr Orr said any animal abuse was "abhorrent" and MPI was actively investigating the allegations.