One trick that farm workers do to stop cows from kicking during milking is to tie their noses to their leg, as shown by this photo one member posted to the Facebook group.

Animal rights supporters are calling for an independent watchdog to take over animal welfare responsibilities from the Ministry for Primary Industries following more allegations of farm animal abuse.

Comments made by members of a dairy farming Facebook group about how to stop a cow from kicking and to get it to let down milk have been called "sickening".

Complaints based on the Facebook comments have been made to the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), which has started "several investigations" as a result, with some already completed.



Some of the suggestions included inserting a hose into the cow's "fanny" and blowing into it (called "tubing" in the industry), which is a breach of the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare.



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Other comments included using "the old electric dildo" up the cow's behind, putting a fist up the cow's behind, bending the cow's tail or to "fire sum [sic] lead poison at it".

MURRAY WILSON/FAIRFAX NZ NZ Farming spokesman Duncan Humm said there can be the odd cow sometimes that has trouble adjusting to milking sheds, but more aggressive methods of getting cows to let down milk should only be used in extreme cases.

This follows the recent release of a Farmwatch video showing more mistreatment of bobby calves, and another showing a cow suspended from a tractor by hip clamps.

According to emails by one of the complainants, verbal warnings were the only action taken by MPI in relation to the tubing comments, due to a lack of evidence about the act being performed.

Complaints were also made to Fonterra, which has identified some of the commenters as working on farms owned by Fonterra farmers.



A Fonterra spokeswoman said the farm owners were upset at the comments made and have dealt with the issue "accordingly".



"Our farmers are absolutely committed to responsible dairying and the vast majority of them meet or exceed animal welfare best practice," she said.



"The manner of the comments, whether in jest or not, are unacceptable to Fonterra."

FACEBOOK There were several responses to the original comment on the Facebook group thread, which asked for help with a cow that wouldn't stop kicking in the milking shed.

INDEPENDENT WATCHDOG NEEDED

Animal rights activist and founder of the Starfish Bobby Calf Project, Lynley Tulloch, said an independent watchdog for animal welfare was needed.

"While MPI has indicated that everyone needs to take responsibility, this does not translate in practice.

FACEBOOK The method of "tubing" falls below the minimum standards of the Dairy Cattle Code of Welfare, which is not yet legally enforceable.

"MPI does not respond adequately to complaints sent in, as has been evidenced by their non-transparency and limited response to complaints over the Facebook posts."



MPI compliance operations manager Gary Orr said where animal welfare law was breached, MPI would investigate and determine the most appropriate response.

There were currently 17 full time specialist animal welfare inspectors, with five more positions to be filled in the near future.



There were also 35 compliance officers who held animal welfare warrants and worked on animal welfare matters when required.



More than 200 veterinarians were based at meat companies, where part of their role was to make sure animals arriving at the meat companies were in good physical condition.

Tulloch said with about 12,000 dairy farms in New Zealand, the number of animal welfare inspectors was inadequate to properly monitor farmers' compliance with animal welfare law.

ROBERT KITCHIN/FAIRFAX NZ Last year Farmwatch released a video of bobby calves being thrown, kicked and beaten by farm workers.

Farmwatch's John Darroch said it had been 11 months since they released last year's investigation into bobby calf abuse, and MPI still had not made a decision on most of the material Farmwatch provided.

"This shows a lack of resourcing, or that animal welfare is not a priority for them."

He also said there needed to be a separate dedicated body for animal welfare, as well as more proactive investigations.

A SMALL MINORITY

NZ Farming spokesman Duncan Humm​ said the vast majority of farmers treated their animals well and did not use extreme practices.

Of the hundreds of "tricks" people used, most involved patience and calm, and worked with great success, he said.

"Some people will still argue black and blue for practices that are not acceptable, which shows there is a number within the industry for who these practices are perfectly normal," Humm said.

"We remain hopeful that anyone in the industry that lacks the right skills or mindset can either be brought up to speed or driven out of it completely."

Farmwatch's Darroch said a complete culture change was needed in the farming industry.

Darroch said ever since the investigations on the treatment of bobby calves last year, Farmwatch has received a number of messages from workers in the farming industry who have seen instances of abuse and felt unable to do anything.

Because of this response, Darroch said it seemed the abuse of animals was endemic in the industry and tougher penalties or more rules was not necessarily going to help.

New Zealand's dairy industry was "in a race to the bottom" because of the pressure to produce milk solids at a lower cost than competitors.

"Low wages and poor working conditions and worker stress are a large part of the problem. In those environments, abuse is bound to happen," Darroch said.

UNDER THE LAW

Lawyer Catriona MacLennan has in the past called for an independent animal welfare commissioner to be appointed, and said the Facebook comments were "sickening".



"The attitudes displayed ... demonstrate that the writers of the posts are not fit either to own or be in charge of animals. They are promoting the torture of cows," she said.

"What is being discussed in the posts is deliberate infliction of pain and distress."

While tubing breached the minimum standards under the code of welfare, the code was not yet legally enforceable.

Changes to the Animal Welfare Act in 2015 gave MPI the ability to make regulations under the act. The first set, relating to bobby calves, came into force in August 2016.

"I think the real issue is that MPI has lower standards for what is acceptable animal welfare than the general public and consumers in our export markets do," she said.