Secure yards and sheds as livestock thieves stay active

GARDAI and farm leaders have again warned farmers to take sensible precautions over the mid-winter period in terms of securing their farmyards and sheds, following more cattle thefts in the Midlands last month.

There are fears that the cattle are being stolen and supplied to an illegal boning plant, possibly in the Border area, following the discovery of six adult cattle carcases in the Dundalk area on November 12 last.

The cattle rustlers are targeting the heavier finished animals, as they did in two raids in Galway, earlier this summer.

Sgt. Pat Flanagan, Galway Garda Crime Prevention Officer, told the Farming Tribune, that without going into too much cost, farmers should take a series of sensible precautions including the locking of all gates to farmyard entrances while they should also consider locking sheds and/or the pen gates.

“These thefts aren’t very widespread but they are happening and that has to be a worry for any farmer, especially at a time of the year, when their animals are very accessible in sheds.

“Sheds that are located in isolated areas, away from houses, tend to be more vulnerable, and we would also suggest that farmers have their yards properly lit up,” said Sgt. Flanagan.

He urged anyone who saw lorries, tractors or jeeps and trailers operating late at night to contact them as a matter of course to get things checked out.

Galway IFA Chairman, Michael Flynn, said that the trend in cattle thefts was very worrying, both from the point of view of the loss to the individual farmers and to the whole traceability issue of Irish food.

“We are hoping that the Gardai will be able to get to the bottom of this racket. We suspect that some illegal abattoir could be operating, possibly around the Border area,” said Michael Flynn.

Last week, Laois/Offaly TD, Charlie Flanagan, asked the Gardai to set up a special unit to target the cattle thieves adding that he had taken up the matter directly with the Garda Commissioner.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.