Geoffrey James Cahill, 53, of Werneth, north of Cressy, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court to twice breaching his cruelty to animal obligations. 

It's the third time he has been charged with offences relating to animal cruelty.

Four years ago he was charged in relation to 27 bobby calves and in 2004 he was jailed after starving to death more than 30 cows.

On Monday Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources solicitor Rebecca Heley also successfully applied for Cahill to come under a monitoring order, which will allow department staff to inspect the family farm at any time. 

Department staff saw Cahill buy a total of 18 calves at the Warrnambool saleyards on October 5 and October 26 last year.

He bought eight calves the first day, which were loaded onto a trailer and Cahill drove off in his ute towing the trailer. 

He bought 10 calves  the second day and both times agents confirmed he bought the calves. 

When interviewed Cahill said he bought the calves on behalf of his daughter.

The maximum penalty for each charge is more than $65,000 in fines and two years’ imprisonment.

On December 12, 2013, Cahill appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates Court charged with failing to provide food and water or vet care and aggravated cruelty.

He was disqualified from being in charge of cattle for 10 years and also received a two-month suspended jail sentence.

Cahill told Warrnambool court that he did not believe buying the calves breached the Ballarat court order.

He said he honestly believed he was doing nothing wrong acting on behalf of his daughter.

When asked his position in relation to department staff monitoring the farm, Cahill said he had nothing to hide.

Magistrate Leonard Brear approved the monitoring application, saying the new charges were very serious.

He also fined Cahill and ordered he pay $361.44 costs.

The Ballarat case involved Cahill failing to provide food, drink and care to 27 bobby calves during the summer of 2012.

It was claimed by the RSPCA one calf had to be put down, another was found dead at the farm and two others subsequently died.

In 2004 Cahill was jailed for a year and fined $1000 after starving to death more than 30 cattle.

He pleading guilty to 26 charges, including 13 counts of animal cruelty and 12 counts of aggravated cruelty   in Ballarat court.

Cahill was living at Linton when he was contacted by the RSPCA about a herd of cattle on his property at Werneth.

An RSPCA inspector had visited the property in January 2003, and observed about 70 head of cattle without pasture and in a poor condition.

Cahill was told to improve the herd's condition on several occasions, but failed to do so.

Thirty-six cattle and a Merino ewe were found dead or had to be destroyed.

A steer that had not received treatment for a broken hind leg also had to be put down.

A solicitor for Cahill said his client was primarily a poultry farmer, knew little about keeping cattle and could not afford to feed the stock.

Magistrate Rowan McIndoe said the offences warranted imprisonment.  

"I think the level of cruelty displayed here is horrific. ... the level of suffering endured by these animals must have been immense,” he said.