The killing spree on the Oxton property near Mountain Creek was discovered on September 2 and Greater Hume Council rangers later took possession of two dogs.

But magistrate Megan Greenwood was told in Albury Local Court that no one had seen the sheep being killed and it was a circumstantial case.

The owner of the dogs, Sophie Joyce Gairn, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of owning an attacking dog.

But Gairn, 25, of Murray Street, Tumbarumba, has pleaded guilty to owning an unregistered companion animal and two counts of failing to prevent her dogs from escaping.

A large number of witnesses were called in the case, which has been adjourned part-heard.

The dogs, a brown mastiff cross ridgeback and a German short-haired pointer, were reported missing from the Benambra property on the afternoon of September 1 and could not be located.

It was about 6.45pm that a nearby property owner reported to a council ranger seeing two dogs on the Mountain Creek Road.

The carnage was discovered by Hamish Paton on his family’s property the following morning.

He approached a neighbour who was working nearby and told him: “We lost a lot of lambs last night. They have been slaughtered.”

Mr Paton was told two “pig dogs” were reported missing the previous night.

Two council rangers attended the property to photograph the dead sheep, with the initial death toll being 96 lambs and one ewe, but the final number was 176 lambs and 20 ewes.

Holbrook vet Seamus McKillop inspected the dead animals and described the wounds as “catastrophic trauma” with injuries to the head, chest and lumbar areas.

Mr Paton said Gairn initially apologised for what happened on Sept-ember 3.

“I said there were 120-odd dead lambs and ewes at that stage,” Mr Paton said.

She responded by saying: “That’s not fair. You just can’t keep adding to the tally.”

Mr Paton said it was likely more sheep would continue to die in coming days.

Gairn completed council statements of ownership relating to both dogs.

She later signed a form allowing for the mastiff cross ridgeback to be euthanised.

Former Hume Livestock Health and Pest Authority ranger Michael McFarlane gave expert evidence and excluded foxes and wild dogs as possibly being responsible.

Mr McFarlane said they were “signature kills” by domestic dogs.

The hearing has been adjourned to a date to be arranged.