Farm News
SHEEP RUSTLING OUTBREAK
– ABATTOIRS ON ALERT
Police have involved UK abattoirs in the hunt for
thieves who have stolen at least 480 lambs, ewes
and rams in Somerset over a six-week period.
»»News of the rustling crime wave,
which has even included the theft of cattle,
emerged at the end of June, alongside
concerns that meat from the stolen animals
could enter the food chain.
‘it is very difficult to keep
pasture land constantly
monitored and secure’
“The meat trade can help us by providing
us with details of any abattoir or butcher
they suspect are operating illegitimately, or
to let us know of any new traders bringing
livestock for slaughter who raise their
suspicions,” said WPC Rowan Hawkins of
Avon and Somerset Constabulary.
“We are making contact with meat trade
establishments around the country because
of this spate of crimes and we would
also ask them to report any tagging or
movement paperwork irregularities to us.”
Rustlers have targeted lambs and their
mothers in a spike in cases shortly before
farmers would probably have sent lambs to
market or slaughter.
The thefts could have been carried out
‘to order’, or the animals might have been
given new identities and then sold or sent
to slaughter, the police said. The sheep
could be being re-tagged and sold or
slaughtered seemingly legitimately without
raising any alarm, they cautioned.
Sergeant Stuart Williams of the Rural
Crime Team warned: “Anyone involved
in this crime, whether they are buying
animals they know are stolen or their meat,
is helping destroy honest businesses and
lining the pockets of criminals.
“All the thefts are being investigated,
and our units are stopping and checking
vehicles capable of carrying livestock day
and night to check tags and paperwork.”
The theft of livestock, particularly sheep because they are easier than cattle to move
and handle - remains a recurring problem
of greatest concern to farmers, rather
than to slaughterhouses and processors.
Animals up to £30,000 in value have been
taken in recent raids.
The crime is hard to combat, because
it is very difficult to keep pasture land
constantly monitored and secure.
EggSell member highly commended
at annual Pig & Poultry awards
»»EggSell Egg Cooperative member, Andrew
Hall, from Wilton Gate House
Farm in Pickering was amongst
the winners of this year’s Pig
& Poultry Marketing awards
announced recently
More than 20 businesses
received an accolade,
recognising their contribution to
the pig and poultry industries,
during a ceremony with guest
speaker, Henry Herbert, from
Channel 4’s Fabulous Baker
Brothers.
Although a small producer
compared to other entrants,
Andrew and his team impressed
the judges, not least because
of their open door policy and
willingness to take part in a
BBC documentary about Auntie
Bessie’s Yorkshire Puddings!
Wilton Gate House Farm was
awarded Highly Commended in
the Health and Welfare Award
judged by Nigel and Patrick
Joice from Uphouse Farm,
Peter King, from 2 Sisters,
and Richard Griffiths and
6 Jun/Jul 2015 www.farmers-mart.co.uk
Máire Burnett from the British
Poultry Council. The award was
presented by Ed Dean, Pig and
Poultry Technical Assistant at
NSF International
The judges said: “Now
into his fourth flock of Bovan
L-R Henry Herbert, Andrew Hall, Ed Dean
Browns, carefully reared
to RSPCA Freedom Food
standards, Andrew’s hens are
producing high egg yields in his
well-organised and efficiently
run unit.”
Of the award, Andrew, who
has been an EggSell member
since 2008, said: “We’re very
proud to have received this
award given the calibre of the
competition.”
EggSell Producers Ltd is
an East Yorkshire based Cooperative of dedicated Free
Range Egg producers. Eggs
produced by the Co-operative
members are marketed
through EggSell Ltd to retail,
manufacturing and catering
customers.
www.eggsell.com