Shooters and farmers in Victoria have had a win, with the Andrews government set to make permanent a near five-year trial of processing culled kangaroos into pet food.

The trial has been contentious. Farmers argue the marsupials compete with livestock for pasture and that their numbers are out of control but animal welfare groups dispute this and have called for the trial to be shut down permanently.

The culled kangaroo into pet food trial has been extended. Credit:Jay Cronan

The trial was due to end on Sunday but has been extended at the 11th hour, ahead of the creation of a permanent new industry from October 1.

This is despite a review of the trial by the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning this year that found it had created a financial incentive to cull more animals, which threatened to compromise the integrity of the program.