The number of cattle that came in from summer pasture doesn’t match the number that were placed there.
Have they been lost or have they been stolen?
RCMP livestock investigator cpl. David Heaslip says that’s a good question, and the answer can be difficult to determine.
“Every year at this time there’s an increase in the number of cattle missing,” Heaslip said.
“At this time of year, it’s the fall run. Guys are bringing their cattle in off pasture, and they’re bringing them home and they’re bringing them to the market. So they’re a few cows short or a few calves short, so they report them as missing.”
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Some speculate that higher cattle prices might bring an increase in cattle theft, but Heaslip isn’t ready to make that assumption.
It’s not easy to steal cattle unless the thieves have access to a stock trailer, corrals or portable corral panels and either horses or ATVs, he said.
As well, higher cattle prices make cattle owners more diligent about protecting their animals.
Brands and radio frequency identification tags are good protection against theft and also help with recovery, Heaslip said.
Such measures may have prevented the theft of nine calves near Wrentham, Alta., in late October, according to Taber RCMP const. Mary Dawn Shea.
She said the owner reported the animals missing Nov. 7 after noticing the calves’ mothers were looking for them and following fruitless searching for the unbranded animals.
“It’s suspicious that none of them (the stolen animals) were branded,” said Shea.
Their value is estimated at $7,500.
RCMP livestock investigator cpl. Christian Reister said more cattle have been reported missing in his region of Alberta, though reasons may vary.
“The commodity price is up and thieves are usually opportunists,” said Reister.
Branded cattle rarely go missing, he added, so proper identification is key to prevention.
“When the price of cattle is up, it’s time to play an active role in your herd management.”
Reister recommended that producers note the batch numbers of RFID tags and be able to provide descriptions of the missing animals.
It doesn’t hurt to put locks on gates and install motion activated trail cameras in areas where trespassing is a problem.
He also advised ranchers to watch for unusual tire marks in pastures as well as ATV and snowmobile activity.
Missing cattle should be reported as soon as possible, which might improve chances for recovery.
