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Profitable beef prices increase cattle thefts

 

By TIM THORNBERRY

Kentucky Correspondent

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Late last week, The Associated Press reported police in southern Tennessee were searching for two men they said took thousands of dollars in cows and sold them in Kentucky.

Arrest warrants were issued for 22-year-old Gerald Mimms and 36-year-old Brian Reeves. Authorities told WKRN-TV in Nashville the pair went to a Pulaski stockyard on Oct. 7 and bought four cows for $5,700. Police said the duo then reportedly drove to Kentucky and sold the cows for profit.

Detectives said Mimms used his real ID and wrote a check on a frozen account. Stockyard owner Billy Wallace said the bank didn’t disclose that information until it was too late, reported the AP.

Also according to the AP, Giles County Detective Shane Hunter alleged Reeves has also stolen $60,000 from Kentucky stockyards, $10,000 from a Maury County stockyard and $5,700 from Giles County.

With the increase in cattle prices has come an increase in the number of cattle theft cases here and throughout the country. Producers from coast to coast are being warned by agriculture agencies to take precautions in keeping their cattle safe from thieves.

That can include many methods, some of which are modern and technology-based while others are old-fashioned. Charles Hord, executive vice president of the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Assoc., told Farm World one simple thing for producers to do is change their routine when it comes to their cattle.

"If someone is stealing cows they will probably watch you for a while and try to learn your routine," he explained.

In addition, simple things like putting locks on gates and moving cattle into pastures away from loading pens are deterrents to would-be thieves. Hord shared a story from an officer with the Agricultural Crime Unit (ACU), which is regulated by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture – a recent case involving stolen cattle was solved by the use of electronic ear tags.

The use of electronic tags has not been something embraced by all producers, and Hord said with the average herd size in Tennessee being only 24 head, some producers aren’t interested in going the electronic route. But he said more progressive-minded producers are turning toward electronic ID tags, and with more regulations coming from the USDA regarding IDs for animals being transported, he thinks this method will catch on for cattle.

Surveillance cameras are another method to keep a watchful eye on livestock. Hord said some stockyards are using cameras, as well. For those really on the cutting edge of technology, camera-equipped drones are quickly becoming useful tools for farmers. "There are many efforts being made, and with the value of cows now, I think it’s just going to increase," he said.

Max Thomas, ACU supervisor, said cattle thefts in Tennessee have not seen a big increase recently, although when prices first went up there was a noticeable rise. "Cattle prices have been up for a while and we started seeing an increase, but that has sort of leveled off," he said. "We’re not seeing a lot of cattle thieves going into somebody’s place that they don’t know. What we are seeing is some fraudulent activity where caretakers are claiming cattle died and they actually have been selling them."

Thomas suggested farmers take a few less technical, more "old-school" actions to help ensure a safe herd – including daily head counts, a primary way to help keep track of the herd. He also said the age-old practice of branding cows is an idea that works for producers in Tennessee.

"I’ve been doing this for 30 years and in those 30 years I have only had three branded cattle stolen, and we were able to recover all of those," he said. "Branding is a visual deterrent.

"A lot of people are micro-chipping their animals and a lot have done lip tattoos in the past, which is all great but your common thief doesn’t check to see if the animals have been micro-chipped; they don’t check to see if the animal has a lip tattoo."

A brand, however, is something would-be thieves will see and will likely discourage from trying to steal those animals. "They would rather get the ones not branded because they don’t have to worry about somebody recognizing the brand," said Thomas.

He noted in western states, where most cattle are branded, this method would not likely be a big deterrent – but in a state like Tennessee where few producers brand their cows, this technique is more effective.

Whether producers are using more modern methods to keep an eye on their animals or old approaches, the high cattle prices are not projected to fall any time soon. Stepping up efforts to protect their animals from rustlers is something farmers may have to endure for some time to come.

10/29/2014