Ministry for Primary Industries animal welfare and NAIT compliance south district manager Malcolm Darlison said MPI inspectors received a complaint on Friday night regarding lambs being born in a muddy paddock on a Southland farm.
The inspectors visited the farm on Saturday morning, and the ewes and lambs had since been moved off this paddock into better areas, he said.
"We are investigating animal welfare practices on this farm and can provide further comment when that work is completed."
Last year, the MPI visited the Southland farm following a complaint about sheep in muddy conditions. While there was mud in this paddock, there were also large suitable drier grass areas that the ewes and lambs were able to be moved to.
The farmer was instructed to move newborn lambs and ewes from the affected muddy paddock to drier ground.
The MPI had continued to monitor the property and earlier this year made a visit during the winter grazing season. They found the farmer had taken measures to ensure the welfare of the animals, Mr Darlison said.
Footage released by SAFE filmed between Friday and Saturday showed a sheep struggling to give birth.
In the footage the farmer dragged the sheep out of sight behind a bush.
The next day, at least two dead newborn lambs were found lying in mud.
SAFE campaign manager Emma Brodie said the actions of the farmer were unreasonable and possibly criminal.
This was the same farm where dead sheep in mud were filmed a year ago and at the time Federated Farmers blamed the weather, Ms Brodie said.
"These conditions are not the product of an extreme weather event. They’re the result of a farming practice that is dangerous by design," she said.
