Activists have revealed shocking footage in which a farmer heartlessly shoots newborn goats in the head one by one before tossing them in a bin.

The video from a large goat farm in Victoria, Australia shows male baby goats being killed and discarded as they are of no use to the industry.

Each baby is shot with a bolt as others stand crammed into a trailer watching, before the farmer violently chucks them into a bin. 

The videographer then approaches the bin and shows a pile of dead animals inside. 

Warning: The below footage contains graphic imagery which viewers may find upsetting

The footage released by activist group Animal Aid was met with outrage on social media.

“Only a psychopath can kill so routinely. People who buy these products are paying for the cruelty and destruction,” one person responded.

“I can’t believe what I just saw….Goats milk – it’s for baby goats. This is what happens to the male babies, just hours after being born. This is totally unnecessary cruelty, for a drink (or cheese) that we don’t even need,” another added. 

Bolt guns are considered the most ‘humane’ way to slaughter animals in the farming industry. Male goats are seen as useless to farmers as they will not have children or produce milk, and are too expensive to raise.

Debate is ongoing in the Australian parliament about undercover videos being taken at farms, which activists use to expose animal cruelty. 

The government is introducing harsh fines and prison sentences for anyone trespassing on farms and filming slaughter. 

Chris Delforce, the director of activist group Aussie Farms, told Yahoo News Australia: “Without activists going in and capturing this kind of footage, the public would have no way of knowing what is going on inside of farms.”

• Read: Secret footage shows lambs chucked, trampled on and improperly stunned before slaughter

What impact would harsh laws against trespassing on farms have on the vegan movement? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Oli Gross

Oli’s career and personal ethical values both help shape his reporting of the diverse world of veganism. His background is in local newspaper and magazine journalism, and his work has included reporting court cases, celebrity interviews, business analysis, food and drink features and government legislation.

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