The photo was posted by a 21-year-old woman to draw attention to vegetation law changes in Queensland.

However, Mr Donato shared the photo and used it on his official page to highlight the plight of drought-stricken farmers in the Central West who are having to kill livestock because there was no feed.

Mr Barilaro said Mr Donato’s decision was “despicable” to use the photo in a different context and without permission from the Queensland woman, Honor Moore.

“Mr Donato has clearly used this highly inflammatory and emotive image out of context, in an attempt to generate an emotional response from his audience, and in turn score cheap political points,” he said.

“This image wasn’t even taken in NSW. This image is more than four years old. Yet he’s tried to convince his audience the [image] reflects the ‘plight’ of NSW farmers.”

Ms Moore said she was upset the photo, which shows her father about to shoot a cow that was too weak to stand up, had been used in this way.

“I am disappointed that my personal photo was used not in the context of the post it was attached to,” she said.

Member for Orange Philip Donato’s Facebook post using the image ...

However, Mr Donato said he would not be taking the post or the photo down.

“That photo has been circulating on Facebook, it has about 7500 shares,” he said.

“Look, once it is on Facebook it’s open to people to like, to share and to copy it.”

Honor Moore’s original Facebook post using the image ...

Mr Donato said the photo demonstrated the situation facing farmers in the region.

He said the state government should be doing more to help drought-stricken farmers than offering them $20,000 low-interest loans.

“I’d like to see a grant provided, a drought is an environmental natural disaster.

“Why doesn’t Mr Barilaro come out to western NSW?”

He said 11.1 per cent of NSW was in drought and most of it was across the Central West, the tablelands and western NSW.

VIDEO: Member for Orange Philip Donato’s thoughts on drought relief ...

Mr Donato said he visited farmers in the Yeoval area recently who were having to sell or shoot their stock because of the lack of feed.

He said they were fifth-generation farmers who were in need of government assistance.

Mr Donato said if the photo was what was needed to highlight the situation facing farmers to the state government then he was comfortable with it.

The NSW Drought Transport fund provides farmers with up to $20,000 in low-interest loans.

It helps farmers pay freight costs for fodder, water, or to move stock to agistment.

The loan has a two-year repayment period and a two-year interest free period.

Central Western Daily