The Otago Regional Council has issued a statement to remind those involved in transferring stock to ensure animals are properly prepared for cartage.
The annual farm changeover, widely known as Gypsy Day, typically happens from mid-May to mid-June when sharemilkers throughout Otago and Southland shift stock between farms around the province.
Regional council resource management director Dr Selva Selvarajah said animal waste spillage from cartage trucks caused an unnecessary mess for other road users and could create dangers for motorists, especially at this time of year with stock movements on the rise.
"Farmers must stand stock overnight before transporting them and truckies should avoid overflow from their effluent storage tanks en route. Having no storage tanks or overflowing storage tanks on stock trucks made the potential for pollution of roads and their surrounds much worse and can create hazards to other motorists."
To help alleviate the problem, Dr Selvarajah said it now has a network of seven effluent-disposal sites around Otago, so effluent and waste can be drained instead of being allowed to spill on roads.
Six sites are dotted along State Highway 1 between Oamaru and Clinton, with another at Raes Junction, "so there are no excuses for spilling effluent on roads or dumping illegally in Otago".
Road users can report stock effluent spills by phoning the regional council's pollution number, 0800 800 033.
