The Department of Conservation has announced the 1080 operation which resulted in the death of eight cows will be independently reviewed.
The Waikato Regional Council will undertake the review.
DOC said it is taking the “extraordinary step” of involving an independent party to provide public confidence in its operations.
The cows died in September after an aerial drop of 1080 in the Waikato.
DOC said during a pre-flight, staff had noted cows were in an area where bait was to be dropped and notified the farm owners to move the stock.
It said the farm owners, Paula and Mark Stone, confirmed the stock had been moved.
In a statement made today, DOC said a gate had been pushed over. This may have given the cows access to the paddock where bait was dropped.
The Stones’ lawyer, Sue Grey, said 1080 bait was spread widely over the paddock next to where the cows were: “DOC says the dead and sick cows must have broken into that paddock, eaten some of these pellets then returned to the original paddock and died. The Stones are not so sure.”
Eight cows were found dead as well as two aborted calf foetuses. The Stones said other cows were “lethargic and obviously unwell”.
“Don’t make the mistake we made. Don’t agree to poison being spread on your land unless you fully understand all the risks to your stock, your business and the massive emotional toll.”
No 1080 pellets were found in the paddock where they cows were grazing, but the Stones said as they look like supplementary feed pellets the cows may have eaten them all.
The Stones’ advice to other farmers is to ask questions of DOC before agreeing to operations.
“Don’t make the mistake we made. Don’t agree to poison being spread on your land unless you fully understand all the risks to your stock, your business and the massive emotional toll.”
DOC said information packs were provided to the Stones as part of the standard consultation process, who then gave written permission to DOC for the operation. Landowners are asked to guarantee stock will be contained by secure fences.
“Initial investigations of the site, permissions and communications documents and helicopter flight data indicated the Department had undertaken the operation as planned and cattle did not have access to 1080 bait on the farmers’ paddocks.
“Conducting operational reviews is standard practice after every pest control operation,” said DOC acting director general Mervyn English.
However, he asked for an additional independent review in this case.
“The public must have confidence in our operational expertise.”
Grey, the lawyer for the farm’s owners, said the Stones were not surprised at the news the 1080 caused the animals’ deaths.
“Paula and Mark Stone are appalled however that it took DOC a week between receiving the laboratory results and the results being released to them and simultaneously being released to the media.”
A DOC spokesperson could not confirm when the review was likely to be completed.
