Die ironie van die saak is dat die boer seker nie kon bekostig om sy diere te voer teen die huidige melkprys nie.

as jy nie kos het vir jou diere dan verkoop jy maar n paar en gaan koop vir die ander kos. Na n jaar sal die mede melkboer ook sit waar baie van ons ander melkboere sit, min melk en niks geld.

I am not a farmer, but I am from the area. I know this particular farmer, and for the record he loves his animals and is passionate about his dairy. If you spend time with him and his staff, you will hear instructions on the mixing ratio of the food and when they have to feed the herds. I am appauled at the behaviour of the SPCA in this particular case.

We all like a good story, but unfortunately I was witness to this event and nothing like this took place. If you are interested in knowing what really happened, send me an e-mail address and once the legal stuff has been sorted out, I will send you video footage (really interesting) vet reports, photographs and copies of documentation. I am not the farmer but you will be surprised who was right and who was wrong. There was NO assault, the SAPS was standing right there and there was certainly no blockade. It looks like someone is trying to cover their backsides. Too late, the horses have already bolted. Send requests for footage to info@altheat.co.za

One sided reporting is so unfortunate. The 3 cattle were in sick bay because they were sick. Saving cattle and pulling them through is the aim of sick bay. A Vet report on the three cattle says that they were on the road to recovery except for the one in the picture. If you go to any Dairy farm you will find such cattle on almost every farm. The SPCA will bankrupt farmers if they had to shoot all cattle in sick bay. One picture of a cow struggling to survive while being treated is no reflection on the integrity of the farmer. How can the animals be put down without a Vet report? They have set a standard it seems so go on and shoot 10% of the national production herd and a further 20% of all calves in the country. Madness!

Die diere behoort in geen siuasie die spit af te byt nie,hulle het geen beheer oor moeilike toestande nie en het hulle self ook nie daarin geplaas nie.

I have to state that this report is misleading and I am suorised that Landbou who I understand serve the SA farming community would publish this without establishing the true facts. I have a herd of Jersey cattle that are managed by the farmer concerned which represents a significant personal investment. I also have a 1 ton per day Greenfeed grow room producing barley feed on the same farm. The condition of my own and the farmers animals is excellent. Whilst I was not at the farm when Mr Appalsamy illegally shot the animals concerned, I have had feed back from a mumber of farmers who were present at the incident. These are well respected commercial farmers in our valley and I have no reason to believe that their reports that Mr Appalsamy acted in an arrogant and uninformed manner were innacurate. The animals were sick and were being treated. Two of the animals had improved and in fact one was in the process of getting up when shot by Appalsamy. I understand that the Vet who was present at the time was denied access to the animals by Appalsamy who told her she was just an "observer". I am shocked that a representative of a respected organisation such as the SPCA csn walk on to any farm, give the farmer 24 hours to heal a sick animal and then walk on to the farm the next dat and shoot them. I challenge the SPCA to explain on what basis Appalsamy is more qualified to judge the condition of an animal than an Ondersterpoort Vet and if they agree that he is not, then explain why the Vet was denied access to the animals. Commercial farmers are having a hard enough time as it is to make a living and it seems that we now have to add the SPCA to the list of reasons why we should abandon our farming activities and go and do something else. A criminal charge has been laid against the individual concerned and it will be followed by a civil case to recover the investment lost. I sincerely hope that the SPCA takes the opportunity to train their inspectors properly. The question that has to be asked is why is Appalsamy right and the owners, farmers and highly qualified Vet who were all present are wrong? My own view is that this became personal between Appalsamy and the farmer and the uniformed, gun wielding official stamped his authority by killing the animals unecessarily. How many stock and dairy farmers out there have not had sick animals? If you have then a word of warning watch out for the SPCA and in partcicular Mr Appalsamy. I could write about this all day and no I was not there but I have spoken to witnesses and the SAPS investigator handling the criminal case and I believe what I have been told and don't forget that I was aware of the sick animals in the hospital camp. I have also had sight of the "warrant" which was incomplete and handed to the farmer AFTER the animals were shot. The whole episode was captured on video by one of the farmers and will be used in both the criminal and civil cases. I am disgusted at the behaviour of the SPCA an organisation that I have always admired in the past and I am suprised that Landbou would revert to sensationalist journalism without ascertaing all of the facts.

Die koei in die foto is wel nie in 'n goeie kondisie nie. Daardie tipe agteruitgang vind egter binne 'n kwessie van 'n paar dae plaas, veral by melkkoeie. Die koei se liggaamshouding en posisie van haar ore dui egter nie op ernstige siekte nie. Ek is dus geneig om saam te stem dat hierdie koei besig is om te herstel. Net 3 siek koeie uit 'n kudde van 300 klink nie vir my na 'n te slegte rekord nie. Ek wonder in watter stadium van laktasie is die 80 koeie wat "deur honger geaffekteer word"? Dit klink vir my na omtrent die hoeveelheid koeie in 'n 300 koei kudde wat vroeg in laktasie moet wees. Dit is normaal vir hierdie koeie om kondisie te verloor. Is die koeie op enige ander gronde behalwe kondisie beoordeel? Is die res van die kudde geëvalueer ten opsigte van kondisie en gesondheid? Daar is heeltemal te min feite in hierdie artikel. Ek hoop werklik ter wille van alle kommersiële boere dat hierdie saak die nodige aandag kry en dat oningeligte mense nie in die toekoms weer die geleentheid sal hê om so onverskillig op te tree nie.

this is a one sided article, with no reference to the other cows shot, or the herd as a whole. The cows are very well cared for at this farm, and anyone knows that a well fed cow gives milk, but a cow that is under condition cannot reach her lactation ability, so any farmer wants his animals to be kept as best as possible.Actually the cow in the photo was shot in the shed with the calves, as was the other one, the cow in the photo had not started eating well, but her temperature had returned to normal, so for us that was a sign of a possible recovery, which we have seen many times in the past over the last 23 years of farming with jerseys, and I pray that this thing can be sorted out reasonably, so that in the future the SPCA and the farmer can work together for animal welfare and not be enemies, as our passion for animals is actually the same,or so I believe it should be. I also hope that more people reading this realise that 1 picture from 1 angle does not represent 300 cows

Ek is teleurgesteld in Landbouweek om so 'n onwaar storie te publiseer sonder om die boer se kant ook eers uit te vind. Ek self geniet Landbouweekblad, lees gereeld en waardeer hul moeite met Suid Afrika se boere.Die DBV se optede was onwettig soos bewys kan word. Hierdie boer sorg vir sy beeste, voer hulle elke dag hul regte hoeveelheid kos en wanneer 'n bees siek word, word hulle ondersoek en medikasie toegedien. Die DBV verteenwoordiger het sy siek beeste wat veearts besoeke gehad het, en wat besig was om te herstel geskiet, nie honger beeste nie. 2 siek beeste besig om medikasie te ontvang en te herstel uit ongeveer 500 dink ek is nie sleg nie. Ongelukkig vir die boer, en lyk my ons almal,was 'n artikel gepubliseer vol leuens...en hy lei onder die onwettige aksies....

I would like to reiterate the statement above as I also know this farmer well, and have visited his farm on numerous occasions. In addition my boyfriend grows barley for this farmer and delivers 7tons each week. This is a shocking report and the publication of it (with seemingly no additional reporting to have taken place and by all accounts no opportuniity for the farmer under question to have his say) on such a respected website, is an indication of the current poor state we find our media in. I would encourage this site to remove this article until actual reporting has taken place.

I hope Mr Apaullsamy is brought to book over his illegal shooting. And Alani Janeke - it might be worth your while to make an effort to find out both sides of the story and clear things up.

It is with utter disbelief that I have read this article by Alani Janeke (Landbou). As a journalist I would think that you would have the integrity of finding out the whole story before going to print. By not doing your job correctly you are destroying a man’s reputation, livelihood and life. And as Mr Nazareth Appalsamy of the NSPCA who as an individual trying to “Prove his authority” had made a mistake by doing what he did - and will be held accountable for his actions, so should you and your publication. I know this farmer personally and must say that he has integrity. His animal sick bay is right by his office so that he can treat and keep an eye on them all the time. It was soul destroying for him to see two animals shot dead after he had seen an improvement in their health as he had been treating them for days, the third cow Wayne was still treating but never gave her much hope as her condition was deteriorating – but he was still prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt and kept on treating her. For a NSPA inspector to give a sick animal 24 hours to recover is unbelievable. The video taken that day by one of the farmers will prove the point in court. And Nazareth Appalsamy and the NSPCA will be held accountable and I feel that Alani Janeke and her publication should be as well. (I see it as defamation of character ) It is sad that one person of the NSPCA can bring you to question the whole organisation, a organisation that we have all supported for so long – maybe their inspectors need a bit more training or was it a case trying to prove his authority?

Klink vir my hier is 'n slang in die gras. Miskien moet Mnr Nazareth Appalsammy ook van nader beloer word as hy weer bietjie verkoue onderlede het.'n Neusring kan dalk handig te pas kom? Die boer het 'n bergfiets roete deur sy plaas waarop ons gereeld ry. Ek het nog nooit enige van die toestande soos beweer in die berig waargeneem nie. Ons het ook al kinders na die plaas toe geneem vir opvoedkundige besoeke sonder enige negatiewe observasies. Nogal teleurgesteld dat die artikel geplaas sonder deeglike ondersoek deur die skrywer = swak joenalastiek

I am in agreement with all above comments and my heart goes out to the farmer concerned as I know how much he cares for his animals and how hard he works on his farm. This whole story is shocking! Firstly, for a NSPCA official to expect a sick animal to fully recover and put on some weight within a 24 hour period - is shocking. It is shocking that the NSPCA employs such uninformed people and then lets them run around with a gun. It is shocking that three valuable animals, which were sick, in a sick bay, under veterinary care and on the road to recovery, were unnecessarily gunned down in front of their owner at the hands of the very people put there to protect them. It is shocking that a reporter submitted such a grossly misleading article and was proud to put her name to it. It is shocking that there was not a single person at Landbou who took the time to verify the story or to get the farmers side of the story. It is shocking that Landbou chose to put all common sense aside and publish such nonsense under “news. The (only) fact of the matter is that a story was published without any facts and a farmers’ good reputation was put on the line. Unproven accusations are slanderous! Bad, bad journalism! It is the type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate well-researched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines and poor quality photos to sell more magazines. Shocking, shocking shocking!! Landbou - as a farmer’s magazine/website - you should be ashamed...

Baie dankie vir die opbouende kritiek van lesers hierbo. Ek wil dit net graag stel dat ek dié storie van die begin af met mnr. Swart probeer opvolg het, maar my pogings om sy kontakbesonderhede vir die aanvanklike storie in die hande te kry, was vrugteloos en in sommige gevalle gepootjie. Met behulp van ons lesers kon ek wel met Swart gesels, en 'n opvolg storie is gedoen - lees dit gerus hier - http://www.landbou.com/nuus/boer-eis-verskoning-van-dbv Groete, Alani Janeke