Balmattum brothers, David and Anthony Maher, have been fined, after pleading guilty to numerous animal cruelty charges in the Shepparton Magistrates Court.
Anthony Maher was fined $70,000 with conviction, while David Maher was also convicted and fined $90,000, including a $5,000 fine for threatening an authorised officer.
Anthony Maher pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty, aggravated cruelty leading to death and aggravated cruelty leading to serious disablement of cattle.
The charges related to six individual cows and a herd of cattle.
David Maher pleaded guilty to threatening an Agriculture Victoria authorised officer, two of animal cruelty, one of aggravated cruelty leading to death.
He also pleaded guilty to two charges of aggravated cruelty leading to serious disablement, relating to seven individual cows, a sheep and two herds of cattle.
The Magistrate also imposed against each accused a Disqualification Order from being a person in charge of any farm animal for a period of 10 years.
Agriculture Victoria Compliance Manager Daniel Bode said despite a number of Notices to Comply being issued, authorised officers observed continued intolerable conditions.
"Livestock were not being provided with appropriate food, along with inadequate supervision, veterinary treatment, or safe access to water for various individual cattle or sheep," Mr Bode said.
Mr Bode said Agriculture Victoria authorised officers did an outstanding job in often difficult circumstances conducting investigations.
With any worker, they were entitled to have a safe workplace.
"This includes being free of threats to their personal safety.
"The $5000 fine for threatening an authorised officer is recognition of this right."
The Magistrate noted if the accused had pleaded not guilty, he would have imposed an immediate term of imprisonment for each accused for six and nine months respectively.
The Magistrate remarked the large number of animals affected in the case was self-evident from the material before him.
The suffering the animals incurred was prolonged and profound.
He further noted as a commercial enterprise the level of neglect was indicative of the highest level of culpability by each accused.
Mr Bode said apart from the obvious pain and suffering of the animals, animal welfare breaches could jeopardise Victoria's reputation as a humane and responsible producer of food, which could affect all producers.
"This is a reminder to all livestock producers that animal cruelty will not be tolerated by the Victorian Government or the community."
Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint in regard to livestock welfare can contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or aw.complaint@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Andrew Miller
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
I'm a general reporter with Stock & Land, with a special interest in irrigation issues. I completed my cadetship, with the Age, in 1980. Over my career, I've worked for ABC radio news (Mt Isa, Qld) and at provincial and suburban newspapers.
