Cibus Goats under investigation: Farmer on activists’ undercover footage

A Trafalgar goat farm is under investigation for alleged animal cruelty after activists released “undercover” footage. The farm owner, who also owns Gippy Goat farm, has spoken to The Weekly Times.

An undated screenshot of a video released by activist group Aussie Farms of goats at Cibus Goats at Trafalgar. Picture: Facebook

AGRICULTURE Victoria is investigating reports of alleged animal cruelty at a goat farm in Trafalgar following the public release of “undercover” footage by activists.

Controversial activist group Aussie Farms posted footage taken at Cibus Goats online this week prompting the investigation.

“Agriculture Victoria is aware of the matter and is currently investigating reports of alleged animal cruelty,” the department told The Weekly Times today.

Cibus Goats owner John Gommans, who also owns the Gippy Goat farm at Yarragon, told The Weekly Times the footage of sick and dying goats was taken about six years ago and related to a disease outbreak.

He said he spent more than half a million dollars on vet bills during the time, and had been “very clear and open” about the incident in front of a parliamentary committee last month for the Victorian inquiry into the impact of animal activism.

Mr Gommans confirmed footage which showed a worker shooting male kids in the head was taken this year.

“As for the euthanasia of the buck kids, that’s according to best practice,” he said.

Mr Gommans said “it’s not something we want to do” and that his “staff are trained to do that properly and humanely”.

He said the farm would be raising the male kids for meat as of next year, but the change was not made due to pressure from activists.

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Aussie Farms director Chris Delforce told The Weekly Times the footage was “captured by anonymous activists within the last week”.

“The footage of the babies being killed was captured over two separate days,” he said.

Mr Delforce agreed what the footage showed was “entirely legal and industry-standard”.

He denied Mr Gommans claim that some of the footage was taken six years ago.

“The handheld and hidden camera footage of sick and dying goats John refers to was not captured six years ago, but was captured between 24 August 2019 and 3 September 2019,” he said.

Mr Delforce showed the video at a third hearing for the inquiry in Melbourne on Wednesday.

He told the committee they “would be forgiven” for previously believing what Mr Gommans had to say.

Mr Delforce called for CCTV to be made mandatory in all abattoirs and on farm where animals are kept, and then made publicly available.

“If they were putting this (footage) out themselves they’d be no need for activists to trespass,” he said.