17 Mar 2022

Protecting farm animals from heat stress

From Nine To Noon, 9:15 am on 17 March 2022
Livestock like these cows need to be protected from weather extremes, the  Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) says.

Photo: Supplied / MPI

Animal welfare campaigner Angus Robson is frustrated at what he says is a lack of progress made by the Ministry of Primary Industries to push requirements for shade and shelter into law, to prevent farm animals from suffering heat stress.

The Ministry's code of welfare for dairy cattle stipulates farmers "need to have in place management plans to provide shelter and/or shade".

But there's no legal requirement for farmers to provide shade or shelter and MPI was contacted 21 times during the summer with heat-related animal welfare concerns. 

MPI's Director of Compliance Services Gary Orr joins Lynn Freeman, along with Angus Robson.