About 10 protesters stood outside of the Andersons Bay fast food restaurant with photographs of livestock in harsh conditions to call for protection against "mud farming", an intensive method of winter grazing.
Protester Gaylene Smith said the beef bought by McDonald’s came from "mud farms" where animals had no quality of life.
She said the farming method included controlling the livestock’s access to feed, which churned the land into deep mud. She claimed calves were born directly into the mud and rarely got to experience dry land.
"There are better ways to do this," she said.
There was the odd farmer who cared about their cows and would offer better conditions, but it was a rarity when it should be the bare minimum required, Ms Smith said.
Many people had no idea the animal products they were eating came from cruel practices and she hoped the protest would help people realise the reality of the industry.
Mud farming was also terrible for the environment, as it displaced top soil and created runoff which polluted water sources, she said.
A McDonald’s spokesman said it had global health and welfare standards which suppliers were required to meet, including compliance with local regulations.
No group had approached McDonald’s New Zealand directly, but it was aware of the protests.
