A Northland farmer has been fined $5,000 and banned from owning more than 70 cows for two years after being found guilty of a range of animal welfare offences.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) says Kenneth Charles Wood, 62, was sentenced at the Whāngārei District Court last week. As well as the fine and ban, he was ordered to pay court costs of $130 and veterinary costs of $525.

The MPI brought a prosecution against Mr Wood after receiving a complaint about the state of some of his cattle on his Ōruawharo property near Wellsford.

MPI says it’s concerned that this was an avoidable situation where animals suffered unnecessarily as a result of the farmer failing to ensure his cattle's physical, health, and daily needs were met.