A Rangitīkei farmer who underfed hundreds of animals and left some sheep unshorn for so long they became unable to move has been sentenced to home detention for the shocking neglect.

At least 140 animals suffered so badly they died or had to be euthanised, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) revealed.

David William Newcombe, 50, pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Animal Welfare Act after MPI took a prosecution against him.

“Mr Newcombe failed to live up to his responsibilities to provide enough quality feed and timely veterinarian care for his cattle and sheep and as a result animals suffered and died,” MPI animal welfare and National Animal Identification & Tracing compliance central district manager Shane Keohane said.

When MPI’s animal welfare inspectors visited Newcombe’s property, they found evidence that 86 contract grazing wagyu cows had died from underfeeding and parasitic infections.

They also found evidence 40 sheep had died or had been euthanised because they had not been shorn for up to two years, leaving them recumbent, meaning they were unable to stand and move around.

Of the animals that were still alive, 60 wagyu cattle were found to be underfed but quickly gained weight when they had access to proper feed.

There were another 1000 sheep found to be underfed and many had worm burdens, which can include diarrhoea, anaemia and weight loss.

At least 15 sheep had to be euthanised to prevent further suffering, MPI reported.

Following the inspection, MPI told Newcombe to make urgent changes, including selling surplus lambs and destocking excess cattle.

When an animal welfare inspector and veterinarian checked back, Newcombe had not sold all of the lambs or destocked any cattle.

“Most farmers do the right thing by their animals, but Mr Newcombe clearly did not,” Keohane said.

“This was compounded by the fact that under his grazing contract he had access to free veterinarian but did not appear to use them.”

MPI is encouraging people to report animal ill-treatment or cruelty by calling 0800 00 83 33.

He was sentenced in the Marton District Court to nine months and three weeks of home detention and indefinitely banned from owning animals.