This is a subscriber-only article
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, 25 cattle were stolen from Francis and Paul Brennan near Drumalish, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.
The farmers allege that 25 cattle were taken by two men who brought a crowbar to destroy the camera system in place on the farm.
Gardaí are investigating the theft that occurred around 4am.
Paul told the Irish Farmers Journal that he checked the stock at 11.30pm Monday night and when he got up for work at 6am on Tuesday he noticed the camera system was down.
To keep your animals safe nowadays, you’d nearly have to go out and sleep with them yourself
When he went to check the animals, he saw open gates, an empty shed and two broken cameras.
The stolen stock included a number of in-calf suckler cows, 10 heifers ranging between 300kg and 350kg, and 10 bullocks (420kg to 520kg).
Missing heifers
Father and son Francis and Paul found three of the missing heifers on Tuesday evening in their neighbour’s field. Paul believes they were left behind because there was not enough room in the trailer for them.
The Brennan farm is located four miles from the border and approximately five minutes from Castleblaney town.
Local knowledge
Paul believes the animals were taken north and that the thieves had local knowledge and may have been watching the farm prior to the robbery.
“To keep your animals safe nowadays, you’d nearly have to go out and sleep with them yourself,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.
The most sickening part of the whole ordeal, he added, is the fact that the cattle were stolen the day before his father Francis celebrates his 86th birthday.
SHARING OPTIONS: