A Victorian woman has been accused of starving dozens of horses and keeping them inside overcrowded and soiled paddocks.
Christine Weisheit has been charged with more than 60 animal cruelty offences, brought by the RSPCA, for allegedly mistreating horses on a property near Ararat in western Victoria.
She has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including allegations she starved many of the horses and kept them inside contaminated paddocks.
Veterinarian Paul Owens, who specialises in equine dentistry, was cross-examined during a virtual Melbourne Magistrates Court hearing on Thursday.
He visited the Warrak property and was asked about the conditions of the paddocks by prosecutor Amelia Beech, who is acting for the RSPCA.
"There was zero grazing, there was dust and very high faecal contamination of all paddocks, simply because of pressure on those paddocks," Dr Owens told the court.
"Therefore there would be a higher worm burden and, as there is nothing to graze, a higher possible ingestion of faecal material."
During his visit, Dr Owens said he found no evidence that any food was being provided to the horses.
Weisheit's barrister Luke Howson put to Dr Owens that some horses were starving because they escaped to a nearby state park.
"If horses are not getting food they are starving, I cannot make a comment about the state park," Dr Owens replied.
Mr Howson said the reason some horses were starving was because they were infected with worms.
Dr Owens said a lack of available food was the main reason for starvation, but a high worm burden could be a factor alongside this.
The hearing continues before magistrate Rodney Crisp on Thursday afternoon.
