A southeastern Saskatchewan rancher hopes to be compensated for the loss of seven steers after they were hit by a Canadian National Railway freight train.
“I just want to get back the value of the steers, that’s all,” rancher Marcel Decorby said from his farm near Spy Hill, Sask.
He said the seven steers were worth $650 to $800 each.
“Even if I could get $700 a steer, that wouldn’t be too bad,” he said.
The accident occurred Feb. 10 after 45 steers escaped a fenced area by knocking down a gate. Decorby speculated they may have been spooked by a moose.
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They walked slightly less than a kilometre on a road and got onto the CN right of way. Four steers were later found dead and three that were injured were put down.
Decorby had been in touch with CN Rail officials last week about compensation, but hadn’t yet received a decision.
CN spokesperson Kelli Svendsen said the company’s policy is that livestock owners are responsible for keeping their animals off the tracks.
She said producers can apply for compensation, adding a claims officer is assigned to look at each case.
“But our general position is that the onus is on the rancher to keep his animals off the right of way.”
She said a key to preventing such accidents is for landowners to ensure fencing keeps animals off the railway tracks.
Since 1996, the railways have not been responsible for fencing along the tracks. CN has a program in place to provide barbed-wire and posts free of charge to ranchers, who are then required to install and maintain the fence.
Decorby, who has farmed for 35 years, said he has always been worried that something like this might happen.
“Cattle always get out, no matter how good your fences are,” he said, adding he thinks it’s only fair that there be compensation.
“It’s a substantial loss for me,” he said.
“It’s a drop in the bucket for CN.”
