Rangitīkei Farmer Sentenced for Severe Animal Neglect

David William Newcombe, a 50-year-old farmer from Rangitīkei, has been sentenced to nine months and three weeks of home detention following a case of severe animal neglect that resulted in the death of more than 140 animals.

The sentencing took place in the Marton District Court on April 13, 2026, after Newcombe pleaded guilty to eight charges under the Animal Welfare Act. In addition to the home detention, the court has issued an indefinite ban prohibiting Newcombe from owning animals.

The prosecution was led by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), which detailed a pattern of shocking neglect involving hundreds of cattle and sheep on the farmer’s property.

Details of Animal Neglect

During inspections of the property, animal welfare inspectors discovered that 86 Wagyu cows, which were under a contract grazing agreement, had died due to parasitic infections and underfeeding.

Another 60 Wagyu cattle were found to be underfed and in poor body weight condition. These surviving animals regained weight quickly once they were provided with proper feed.

The neglect extended to the sheep on the property, with 40 sheep dying or requiring euthanasia because they had not been shorn for a period of 18 months to two years. This lack of shearing left the animals recumbent, meaning they were unable to stand or move around.

Inspectors also found approximately 1,000 other sheep that were underfed and in very light body weight condition. Many of these sheep suffered from worm burdens, which resulted in anaemia, weight loss, and diarrhoea. To prevent further suffering, at least 15 of these sheep had to be euthanised.

Failure to Comply with MPI Directives

The Ministry for Primary Industries had previously attempted to intervene to prevent further animal suffering. MPI directed Newcombe to make urgent changes to his farming practices, specifically ordering him to destock excess cattle and sell surplus lambs within seven days.

However, when a veterinarian and an animal welfare inspector returned to the property to verify compliance, they found that Newcombe had not destocked any cattle and had failed to sell all of the lambs as instructed.

Investigations also revealed that Newcombe had access to free veterinarian services as part of his grazing contract, yet he did not appear to utilize these resources to care for the animals in his charge.

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

Shane Keohane, MPI animal welfare and National Animal Identification & Tracing compliance central district manager

Keohane further noted that while most farmers fulfill their responsibilities to their livestock, Newcombe clearly did not.