A stark 1,027 cattle were reported either missing or stolen to the Department of Agriculture in 2021, the Irish Farmers Journal can reveal.

Only 26 of the 990 cattle reported missing in the last 12 months were recovered.

During the same period, only one animal of the 37 cattle which were reported stolen was recovered.

Cattle between the ages of 13 and 24 months were highest on the theft list, according to data from the Department of Agriculture.

Cattle in this age category accounted for 398 of those that were stolen or missing.

The corresponding figure for 2020 shows that 1,082 cattle were reported either missing or stolen, with just 50 animals recovered.

Although this data shows that numbers stolen or missing dropped by over 50 head in the last year, cattle theft is still a problem.

County breakdown

Limerick had the highest number of thefts for the 12-month period, accounting for a staggering 204 cattle reported stolen or missing in 2021.

Meath was another hotspot, with 181 cattle reported missing or stolen over the last 12 months.

In Kerry, 101 animals were reported missing or stolen.

Of the cattle reported missing and stolen in 2021, there were 559 heifers/cows and 468 bulls/bullocks

The counties least targeted were Kilkenny, Leitrim, Offaly, Sligo, Carlow, Dublin, Waterford and Longford, which all had fewer than 10 head of cattle recorded by the Department as missing.

Of the cattle reported missing and stolen in 2021, there were 559 heifers/cows and 468 bulls/bullocks.

Animals aged over 49 months were most frequently reported stolen or missing in the female category.