5 Oct 2012

Further legal action wanted over defective bull

12:56 pm on 5 October 2012

Farmers whose herds are affected by defective semen supplied by the Livestock Improvement Corporation are not ruling out further legal action, following a meeting in Taranaki on Thursday night.

LIC has agreed to pay dairy farmers the costs of inseminations and semen from the bull Matrix, which was found to have a genetic defect.

An estimated 3000 of his female offspring were mutated, causing them to be excessively hairy, heat intolerant and poor milk producers.

Federated Farmers Taranaki dairy chair Derek Gibson said many farmers want to proceed with legal action to recoup the lost earning potential of the calves.

Another meeting will be held in about two weeks and Mr Gibson said he wants to hear from other affected farmers who haven't come forward yet.