KUSA - A Dairy Farm in Morgan County is under investigation for alleged animal abuse after graphic video surfaced of a dozen dairy workers abusing cows.
The footage was shot by an undercover worker for the animal rights group Mercy For Animals at Cactus-Acres Holsteins, a farm associated with the Dairy Farmers of America.
The video was shot over a nearly 10-week span beginning March 9 and ending May 20.
The video released by Mercy For Animals shows a dozen workers punching, kicking and stabbing cows with screw drivers and other farming tools.
In a press conference Thursday morning, Matt Rice with the animal rights orginization says the video highlights a problem running rampant in the dairy industry.
"These types of abuses are not just happening at this one facility," said Rice, "We've documented them at facilities all across the country."
Rice called on the DFA to stand against animal abuse by implementing new policies: including a zero tolerance policy against the abuse of farm animals.
In response, DFA responded by calling out Mercy For Animals for not reporting the abuse on day one of their nearly 10-week investigation.
"Long ago we took a stand on this issue. Make no mistake, we have zero tolerance for animal abuse," DFA corporate affairs VP Monica Massey said. "We also have zero tolerance for the manipulative practices of extremists organizations that are coming onto our dairy farms and inciting this abuse, recording it and not reporting it."
Rice told 9NEWS the organization did report the abuse to the supervising manager at the farm within the first few days of witnessing the abuse. Rice said nothing was done.
"When we reported this to management, no corrective action was taken," Rice said. "It was only after we went to law enforcement and law enforcement started investigating this agency did they start addressing this issue at all."
DFA claims it has footage of the undercover worker for Mercy For Animals hitting a cow with a piece of milking equipment. 9NEWS has requested to see that video, but DFA says it has been handed over as evidence to investigators.
The Morgan County Sheriff's Office says the investigation will go on for a few more weeks. Since the video surfaced, at least two employees have been fired.
A handful of others face animal cruelty charges.
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