Wild cattle, the cost-of-living crisis and severe storms are believed to be behind the growing problem of wandering stock on Northland roads and state highways.

ACC data shows the number of vehicle-related injury claims caused by roaming animals on Northland roads has cost taxpayers nearly $2 million over the last five-and-a-half years.

Though ACC claims have remained consistent year on year, averaging about 50 claims per year worth $345,000, locals say the problem is getting worse and it’s only a matter of time before there’s a fatality.

Waima resident Zoe Stevenson said two cows and a calf were recently killed when a car ploughed into them outside her property on SH12 near Taheke Bridge around 9pm on July 3.

A third cow had to be euthanised due to its injuries. None of the people in the car were hurt.

“We were sitting watching TV and heard a bang outside, and thought what the hell’s that?

“We could hear tooting and see flashing lights at the end of our driveway.

“A car had come through and came across cattle on the road and killed a calf and two cows and there was also a cow on the road kicking a bit.

“It’s lucky they [people in the car] weren’t killed.”

Stevenson said her partner and another man dragged the dead and injured cows off the road.

Soon after the police and fire crews turned up and she heard three gunshots, “so they were obviously making sure they weren’t suffering”.

Federated Farmers Northland President Colin Hannah said recent storms that have hammered the region combined with a tough economic climate were having an impact on farmers’ ability to keep up with maintenance.

Farmers were not getting as much for their cattle, and on-farm costs were soaring due to inflation and the cost of living, he said.

“Some areas are hurting quite badly,” he said.

“At the moment I’d say looking at farmer returns and cost structures, we are going to see less maintenance because they haven’t got the cash to do it.”

Hannah said wild cattle could also be the cause of some accidents, as wild cattle from Ahipara to Herikino and further south posed a “problem”.

“We have an obligation to ensure our stock is contained, and we can move them along the road, but they must be under control.

“Farmers do need to check their fences and fix them up if they’re broken.

“Ninety-nine per cent of farmers are trying to do that. In some regions it’s wild cattle…it may not always be a farmer at fault.”

Stevenson, who has lived in the area for 23 years, said she worries about cattle on the road and what can be done about it.

The night after the accident, and two nights after that, there was more stock out on the highway, she said.

Her daughter was driving home at night six weeks earlier and came across two bulls fighting in the middle of the road.

“She went over the bridge and slowed down so she could see them and reported it.

“There’s stock on the road all the time.

“I don’t know what the answers are, a lot of people are struggling financially up here.

“It’s only a matter of time before something happens.”

Fire and Emergency New Zealand mid north group manager Wayne Martin said a workmate crashed into a cow earlier this year on the way back from a fire near Cape Reinga.

“They came over a brow and there was a cow on the road.

“The staff member was ok but the vehicle wasn’t. It was written off.”

Between January 2018 to May 31 this year, there were 280 ACC claims for vehicle accident-related injuries caused by livestock in the Northland region.

These injuries have come at a cost of $1.9 million to help people recover.

Last year, there were 41 new and active claims relating to livestock on the region’s roads costing $333,692, and so far this year there have been 16 claims worth around $124,000.

These figures include wandering cows, sheep, pigs, and horses, while injuries sustained include soft tissue injuries, lacerations and puncture wounds, and spinal and head injuries.

ACC workplace safety manager Virginia Burton-Konia said there is a “longer-term social cost” to each of these injuries.

“If an individual gets injured it has a wider impact on the business and the whānau.

“These injuries can have lifetime consequences.”

Burton-Konia said motorists on rural roads need to be aware of the risks especially when driving at night, while farmers need to ensure fences are repaired.

“It’s a two-fold risk; those travelling on rural roads need to take a moment, and realise we should slow down and be more aware.

“The other onus is on farmers to ensure their animals are enclosed correctly.”

Owners of livestock are liable for any damage caused if their stock are wandering, and they can be prosecuted if animals cause a crash and negligence is proven.

Waka Kotahi urges motorists to report any wandering stock by phoning 0800 4 HIGHWAYS.

Jenny Ling is a news reporter and features writer for the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering roading, health, business and animal welfare issues.