MAF is keeping quiet on its stoush with Federated Farmers over an e-mail by a Southland vet that was leaked.

In the e-mail, the vet condemned a Southland farmer whose cattle had to be put down during last month’s snow storm, and took aim at the Feds for supporting her.

The Feds deny sanctioning animal abuse, and say the leak was designed to take the heat off an investigation into MAF inspectors.

MAF acting Director-General Warwick Foran refused to comment on the leak’s source, but says reports of bullying by animal welfare inspectors are still being investigated.

“We want to finish the investigation [Federated Farmers] asked us to do into how that operation was handled, and hopefully we will have that done by the end of the month.

"At the moment we’re focused on that, then we can deal with anything else that has occurred.”

Mr Foran referred all questions on the e-mail leak to Agriculture Minister David Carter, who is overseas.