A husband and wife have been accused of abandoning their dairy herd on King Island, leaving pregnant cows and calves to fend for themselves.

It is alleged Duncan Edward Dalton and Jessica Rose Dalton left 160 cows and calves with no food, water or assistance, on King Island in Bass Strait at the end of August 2014.

Authorities received reports about the animals in early September.

The crown said it was the first time farmers had appeared in the state's courts charged with abandoning a herd.

They are each facing 15 charges, including eight of aggravated cruelty and three counts of cruelty to animals on the Naracoopa property.

The court heard during a contest mention that the Daltons and their two children boarded a flight to Melbourne on August 31 and did not return, ahead of bankruptcy proceedings.

It is claimed many of the cows on the property were calving at the time and were left without any help.

Dead cattle were found during an inspection after the Daltons had left.

The court heard a dead calf had to be removed from a cow's birth canal, while a dairy cow was found stuck in a dam.

Another cow could not get back on its feet after giving birth, forcing the cow and calf to be euthanased.

Prosecutor Simon Nicholson told the Magistrates Court in Launceston about 90 per cent of the cows were in a poor to very poor condition.

He said it was a serious example of abandonment of a herd.

"There was no food or water left," he said.

"No arrangements were made for their care and [there was] little insight into how to properly care for a herd."

Several animals had to be shot.

Mr Nicholson described the two accused as acting with "swift and callous abandonment".

"This case, the abandonment of a herd, is the first time that kind of case has come before a court in Tasmania," he said.

He likened it to the case of former north-west farmer Roderic Neil Mitchell, who was convicted of offences relating to the starvation and serious neglect of dairy cows on his farm between 2007 and 2009.

The Daltons' lawyer, Mark Doyle, said the couple were in a crippling financial situation and had genuine remorse.

Magistrate Reg Marron said it was a very serious case and warranted imprisonment.

The Daltons are now managing a farm in Victoria.

They are yet to enter a plea and will reappear next month.