http://www.betootaadvocate.com/uncategorized/lightning-ridge-farmer-under-investigation-for-racially-abusing-black-cattle/
A LIGHTNING RIDGE pastoralist is being investigated by the RSPCA over allegations he has been racially abusing his Angus cattle.
It's claimed by the animal protection organisation that Philip Rochford, a 61-year-old local farmer, referred to a breeder cow as a "big black bench" during scheduled "preg testing" in March.
Testing for a pregnancy in cattle is especially distressing for the animal as an operator needs to insert his arm, sometimes up to the elbow, to check for the presence of a foetus through the rectal cavity.
On this particular occasion which is under investigation, it is alleged by the RSPCA that the Angus cow took offence to Mr Rochford putting his arm up her back passage and began to "buck widely" in the cattle crush.
Mr Rochford then let out a string of highly derogatory and racial insults directed toward the cow.
The 3-year-old cow told investigators that Rochford called her "a mad old black couch of a thing" and a "spooning black couch" when she began to raise her objections to having an arm up her arse.
Outside Lightning Ridge Local Court, the father of three said the charges where "bullshit and defamatory because everybody knows that animals can't speak English".
"Look this is just another stunt by those PETA dimwits,"
"They sit up in their ivory tower in their cotton shirts and leather boots and tell farmers that they're monsters,"
"That's why I'll always love and support my daughters – so they don't get a complex and become animal rights activists,"
"As for the charges, of course I'm going to fight them. I'm not going to get a criminal record for swearing at a cow." he said.
A similar incident made headlines last month, when the RSPCA knocked on the door of a Broken Hill grazier after he was caught on film swearing at a herd of sheep.
Investigators were tipped off by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) because it was thought that sheep were able to understand and comprehend English.
This merino wether, Kevin, was offended by a Broken Hill farmer's language. PHOTO: I. Gashkori/Betoota Advocate
This merino wether, Kevin, was offended by a Broken Hill farmer's language. PHOTO: I. Gashkori/Betoota Advocate
Ellis Raymond, the sheep farmer at the centre of the Broken Hill controversy, told local radio that he was "unaware that the sheep had been offended by his remarks".
"I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise publicly to a 4-year-old Merino wether that I've known all his life," he said.
"When he decided to turn around in the race and spit out his drench, I called him 'a dumb couch' and that was wrong of me,"
"Furthermore, I implored him to 'take his spooning medicine' by pulling his head up and forcing him to swallow the drench by holding his mouth shut,"
"So Kevin the sheep, from the bottom of my heart, I'm sorry for calling you a 'spooning dumb couch' and I'll never do it again." said Mr Raymond.
Mr Raymond was promptly fined for "swearing repeatedly" during a live broadcast and was banned for life from ABC 999 Broken Hill.