With record cattle prices, reports of cattle theft have been on the rise. Last week a bull, five cows and three calves were stolen from Glade Spring, Va. The cattle were taken from a farm off Interstate 81. The estimated total value of the stolen cattle is approximately $27,000.
Cases of cattle fraud are also occurring. The Georgia Department of Agriculture law enforcement is investigating a multistate cattle theft fraud. Georgia’s agriculture commissioner, Tyler Harper, said Garrett Hill, aka Jared Smith, allegedly advertised cattle for sale, required victims to pay a deposit via an app or online transfer and then never delivered the cattle.
Theft Protection Tips
“Some people see it as an easy way to earn a dollar by stealing cattle; they think that they can make a quick turnaround on some dollars,” says Scarlett Madinger, Kansas Livestock Association vice president of communications. “Livestock especially at risk are those that are easily accessible.”
Madinger shared some tips for preventing livestock theft on a recent “Agriculture Today.”
With calving season wrapping up, young animals and cow-calf pairs might be more likely to fall victim to theft, depending on what criminals think they can get away with.
The first step in preventing livestock theft involves permanently identifying cattle through techniques such as hot brands and ear notches. On the other hand, thieves can easily remove ear tags and other temporary identifiers.
“Branding is the most surefire way to positively identify cattle,” Madinger explains. “If someone is trying to sell them at a regional auction market, somebody else is most likely to recognize that brand and know that, ‘Hey, that isn’t who dropped them off.’”
Another crucial step in warding off theft includes restricting access to pens and pastures by using locks, chains and other security measures.
“Anything that causes someone to take an extra step that’s looking to steal cattle serves as a deterrent,” Madinger adds. “Especially if you have portable facilities or movable pens, chain those up so they’re not easily accessible to somebody looking to back up and load your cattle out.”
She also shares these tips:
- Do not leave cattle penned overnight.
- Be extra vigilant of activity near pens or pastures that sit near high-traffic areas such as highways or interstates.
- Check and count cattle frequently, keeping written records, especially if housed in multiple locations.
- Take note of any suspicious or unfamiliar vehicles driving by a property, within reason.
Reporting Theft
After a suspected crime, Madinger says producers should first contact their local county sheriff’s office, then their state department of agriculture’s animal health division.
“Call that county sheriff, so that they can come out as quickly as possible and take down any details,” she says. “The division of animal health is the next one because they can send information about stolen livestock to auction markets around the state, so they are aware of them.”
Producers who are members of state cattlemen’s organizations like KLA or Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association can report stolen livestock to that organization’s office.
The key is to act quickly and involve local authorities and agricultural agencies to increase the chances of recovering stolen livestock.
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