A Givealitte page has been set up by a group called Friends of Holy Cow, the farm run by Mr MacNeille at Reynoldstown in Port Chalmers.

The group says the farming family need financial support to keep the herd “while they work through the options”.

The friends say the cows cost about $115 a day to feed.

“Holy Cow have been an amazing supplier to our community for many years, and we want to support them through this transition,” the group says.

So far $4230 has been pledged by nearly 70 donors on the page called ‘Keep Holy Cow going’.

The raw milk operation remains shut down and as things stand the cows are due to be slaughtered by the end of the week.

“I spend, let’s just say … 60 hours a week with these girls – they are lovely hard-working, nice cows,” Mr MacNeille said.

“It’s the worst thing in the world.”

The farmer sold raw milk from his farmgate until the Ministry for Primary Industries issued a notice of direction to cease supplying and selling raw milk last week.

The heifer, which was not part of the milking herd, tested positive for bovine tuberculosis after routine testing by Ospri.

The industry good body notified the ministry and the herd’s Tb-free status was suspended, Ministry for Primary Industries director, animals and animal products, Mat Stone said.

Sytone added that while the ministry sympathises with the farmer, the most important thing was protecting customers from risks.