Stock theft is becoming more prevalent in the #FestiveSeason, threatening the sustainability of the country’s livestock industry as many farmers rely on livestock as a source of income.
It is imperative to implement and apply safety measures to prevent theft of livestock.
• Livestock owners should ensure that all fences and gates are kept in good working order, to protect their livestock. Consider employing a specially trained employee to patrol the fences daily. He/she can ensure that holes in and under fences are repaired immediately. Inspect these reparations yourself.
• Loading ramps in paddocks or on farms away from direct supervision, should be kept locked or obstructed at all times.
• Prevent stolen animals from being hidden on your property. Stock posts serve as ideal overnight stopovers to hide stolen livestock. Unknown livestock found at such posts should be reported to the SAPS immediately.
• Livestock owners should count livestock at stock posts himself or herself, at least once a week.
• Many court cases are lost as a result of disputes about the proper identification of animals. If an animal is marked with a registered brand mark or tattoo, disputes will be avoided. Employees should properly mark their livestock, according to the Animal Identification Act, 2002 (Act No 6 of 2002), preferably by branding them.
• Be particularly watchful when there is a full moon, over weekends and at the end or beginning of a month, or during periods that you know from experience, when stock theft (slaughtering for the pot) occurs.
• Report unknown animals among your animals to the SAPS and your neighbours immediately. The longer the delay, the less the possibility of stolen stock being recovered.
Cooperate with the local South African Police Service and Stock Theft Unit, do not work against them. Please support them in their efforts to help you.
VERY IMPORTANT:
• Count your livestock REGULARLY.
• Report ALL stock theft cases IMMEDIATELY.