A WESTERN Victorian sheep farmer has been fined $15,000 without conviction on animal cruelty charges, with mistreatment confirmed by body condition scoring, hay quality and worm burden tests.

Agriculture Victoria said Wallup sheep farmer Adrian Schwarz has also been ordered to pay $301.53 in costs in relation to four animal cruelty charges involving 11 individual sheep and a flock of 691 sheep.

Agriculture Victoria said investigations at Mr Schwarz’s property commenced in March 2024 following an animal welfare complaint where officers found sheep in long wool, in a bare paddock with no supplementary feed.

Officers witnessed sheep with visible dags, stained wool and suffering from flystrike without treatment during visits.

The AV officer also conducted body condition scores, hay quality tests and worm burden tests which confirmed mistreatment.

Mr Schwarz was issued with notices to comply under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and provided with information to help him find a shearer.

Mr Schwarz’s aggregated charges included:

• aggravated cruelty of three sheep resulting in serious disablement or death
• failing to provide appropriate treatment for four sheep suffering from flystrike and infection
• failing to provide proper and sufficient food to four individual sheep and to a mob of approximately 691 sheep.

In imposing the fine in the Horsham Magistrates Court, magistrate Timothy Hoare said farmers can often foresee conditions and need to “deal with poor conditions when they come around and destock if necessary”.

Agriculture Victoria compliance manager Daniel Bode said livestock owners have a moral and legal responsibility to care for animals under their control.

“Victorians have a reasonable expectation that livestock will be cared for by those in charge of them.

“Sheep require specific treatment to remain healthy and to protect them from pain, injury and disease,” he said.

“Shearing your sheep is critical to reduce the risk of dags forming which can build up and accelerate the rate of flystrike”, Mr Bode said.

Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint in regard to livestock welfare can contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or [email protected].