Animal Health & Husbandry
12 September, 2025
Animal cruelty charges for Stockyard Hill farmer
A STOCKYARD Hill farmer has pleaded guilty to eight offences relating to animal cruelty and livestock traceability offences.
The farmer recently appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced with conviction and a fine of $20,000.00 with an order to pay $383.33 in costs.
The court also imposed a disqualification order from owning or being the person in charge of sheep for a period of five years.
Matthew Fleay pleaded guilty to charges which occurred between October 2023 and March 2024.
The charges sit under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and Livestock Disease Control Act 1994.
Agriculture Victoria animal health and welfare compliance manager, Daniel Bode said Agriculture Victoria officers attended the Stockyard Hill property on 15 occasions, euthanising a total of 45 sheep suffering from severe flystrike, heavy worm burdens, and extremely low body condition.
Through further investigation it was found there were National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) breaches.
It was discovered Mr Fleay had sold and transported 1,116 sheep, failing to tag 646 of those sheep.
It is an offence under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 to sell and dispatch untagged livestock for slaughter.
Such offences decrease the credibility of the Australian National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).
Mr Bode said the NLIS is Australia’s system for identifying and tracking livestock for disease control, food safety and market access purposes.
“An effective traceability system is critical to protecting Victoria from biosecurity risks and ensuring access to international markets,” Mr Bode said.
“Apart from the obvious pain and suffering of the animals, animal welfare breaches can jeopardise Victoria’s reputation as a humane and responsible producer of food, which can in turn affect all producers.”
For more information on NLIS, including training on how to use the system, visit National Livestock Identification System/Livestock and animals/Agriculture Victoria.
Anyone wishing to make a specific complaint in regard to livestock welfare or traceability breaches can contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or email aw.complaint@agriculture.vic.gov.au.