Monaghan farmer Andrew Chambers is counting the cost of an alleged incident in which an array of metal items were scattered across 50 acres of his silage ground.
A miscellaneous assortment of steel and iron objects were found in Chambers’ silage crop when his contractor went to mow to the grass with butterfly mowers on 24 and 25 June last.
Photographs of the fields show scaffolding poles, gates, wheel rims and tyres among the objects which caused the estimated €2,000 worth of damage to the mowers. The discs and conditioners of the butterfly mowers were particularly badly damaged.
A wheel rim wedged in the conditioner of one of Chamber Agri's butterfly mowers. \ Ivan Chambers
Chambers told the Irish Farmers Journal that he believes the items were deliberately placed in the field, possibly with the intent to cause damage to silage harvesting machinery.
“The fields both near the yard and out-blocks were affected. I had sowed fertiliser at the end of April and the fields were clear then.
“We did not think there was anything unusual until the contractor started to cut and began to find the steel,” Chambers stated.
“A small trailer was filled with bits by the end. Axles, wheel rims, gates and scaffolding were all found either before or after the mower had the chance to stop,” the farmer went on.
A gate wrapped around the conditioner of a mower in the field. \ Ivan Chambers
Damage
The silage contractor explained that they kept cutting the silage for Chambers, despite the risk of further damaging machinery, as the job had to be finished and the machinery could be repaired afterwards.
“The job took three days to do, instead of usually just an afternoon. Andrew is a local customer and we just wanted to get the job finished,” said Ivan Chambers of Chambers Agri Contracting.
“There was 20% of the grass not fit to be lifted by the harvester because there was so much steel scattered in it. We managed to lift these sections of the grass with the teleporter to get it in,” he said.
Some of the debris gathered into a trailer over the three days it took to harvest the 50 acres. \ Ivan Chambers
Prior incidents
Chambers explained that this is not the first incident of provocation or potentially malicious action against him and his holding.
“I have had wire cut and sheep pushed off land before. Gates have been left open and stock which were not mine ran into my fields,” Chambers said.
“There were two or three lambs went missing around lambing time. I went out one day and there were ewes calling at the gate. I suspect they were taken,” he revealed.
Cameras
CCTV cameras worth €3,000 have subsequently been installed by Chambers around the dairy and the yard buildings.
“I am hoping that they will give me peace of mind. I was worried that something would be done to the milk tank.
“I feel safer and hope that the cameras may act even just as a deterrent,” Chambers finished.
“The local district has advised that as this is an ongoing investigation, no further information can be made available at this time,” a representative from An Garda Síochána told the Irish Farmers Journal.
Monaghan farmer Andrew Chambers is counting the cost of an alleged incident in which an array of metal items were scattered across 50 acres of his silage ground.
A miscellaneous assortment of steel and iron objects were found in Chambers’ silage crop when his contractor went to mow to the grass with butterfly mowers on 24 and 25 June last.
Photographs of the fields show scaffolding poles, gates, wheel rims and tyres among the objects which caused the estimated €2,000 worth of damage to the mowers. The discs and conditioners of the butterfly mowers were particularly badly damaged.
A wheel rim wedged in the conditioner of one of Chamber Agri's butterfly mowers. \ Ivan Chambers
Chambers told the Irish Farmers Journal that he believes the items were deliberately placed in the field, possibly with the intent to cause damage to silage harvesting machinery.
“The fields both near the yard and out-blocks were affected. I had sowed fertiliser at the end of April and the fields were clear then.
“We did not think there was anything unusual until the contractor started to cut and began to find the steel,” Chambers stated.
“A small trailer was filled with bits by the end. Axles, wheel rims, gates and scaffolding were all found either before or after the mower had the chance to stop,” the farmer went on.
A gate wrapped around the conditioner of a mower in the field. \ Ivan Chambers
Damage
The silage contractor explained that they kept cutting the silage for Chambers, despite the risk of further damaging machinery, as the job had to be finished and the machinery could be repaired afterwards.
“The job took three days to do, instead of usually just an afternoon. Andrew is a local customer and we just wanted to get the job finished,” said Ivan Chambers of Chambers Agri Contracting.
“There was 20% of the grass not fit to be lifted by the harvester because there was so much steel scattered in it. We managed to lift these sections of the grass with the teleporter to get it in,” he said.
Some of the debris gathered into a trailer over the three days it took to harvest the 50 acres. \ Ivan Chambers
Prior incidents
Chambers explained that this is not the first incident of provocation or potentially malicious action against him and his holding.
“I have had wire cut and sheep pushed off land before. Gates have been left open and stock which were not mine ran into my fields,” Chambers said.
“There were two or three lambs went missing around lambing time. I went out one day and there were ewes calling at the gate. I suspect they were taken,” he revealed.
Cameras
CCTV cameras worth €3,000 have subsequently been installed by Chambers around the dairy and the yard buildings.
“I am hoping that they will give me peace of mind. I was worried that something would be done to the milk tank.
“I feel safer and hope that the cameras may act even just as a deterrent,” Chambers finished.
“The local district has advised that as this is an ongoing investigation, no further information can be made available at this time,” a representative from An Garda Síochána told the Irish Farmers Journal.
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