Cattle rustling in New England!

[sasvermont]

I live near farms and see cows going by all the time. They pack them in. I don't know the exact number but it is many. They aren't cared for like horses! My guess is that you can get at least 15 or 20 in a trailer at a time.

[Freedom]

Interesting info, and so sad. Thanks.

[pomtzu]

I can't say that I've ever seen cattle transported around here, so I don't know how it's done. Delaware is "chicken country", and it makes me sad to see the way these creatures are treated on the way to be slaughtered. There are hundreds of crates stacked on what I would describe as flatbeds, with as many chickens as possible crammed into each crate. I often wonder how many make it thru alive and how many are DOA???
Of course we see a lot of horse trailers too, and horses are treated very good. Most of them are race horses or work horses that are privately owned tho.

If you ever watch Jane Valez-Mitchell on HLN weeknights, you would see some horrendous videos of the treatment of animals farmed for consumption. She is very much an animal rights activist and usually has a piece at the end of her show - supporting legislation for the humane treatment, etc, of all animals everywhere.

[Karen]

Never heard of cattle rustling on that scale around here! It is surprising, too, with the falling price of beef in the Mid-West because of the drought, with farmers sending cattle to the slaughterhouse when they no longer can afford the feed for them. I am glad the folks were caught, and hopefully the others will be found. There's a very small profit margin for many farmers, and we would not want to see thieves destroying a small farmer's livelihood for the sake of a quick buck!

[Freedom]

Never heard of cattle rustling on that scale around here! It is surprising, too, with the falling price of beef in the Mid-West because of the drought, with farmers sending cattle to the slaughterhouse when they no longer can afford the feed for them. I am glad the folks were caught, and hopefully the others will be found. There's a very small profit margin for many farmers, and we would not want to see thieves destroying a small farmer's livelihood for the sake of a quick buck!

Karen, that's just it, they have NOT caught the thieves! They have some leads -- the auction house is not cooperating. Other folks have said that this Amish auction, if you show up with animals, they pay cash and take the animals to sell at a profit themselves. Yes, they have made it clear, this is an Amish auction, which is why they were working / holding the auction, on Labor Day. The Amish don't recognize the holiday.

[Bonny]

Never heard of cattle rustling on that scale around here! It is surprising, too, with the falling price of beef in the Mid-West because of the drought, with farmers sending cattle to the slaughterhouse when they no longer can afford the feed for them. I am glad the folks were caught, and hopefully the others will be found. There's a very small profit margin for many farmers, and we would not want to see thieves destroying a small farmer's livelihood for the sake of a quick buck!

The beef prices are not falling they are going up. The average price for a 1200 pound steer or heifer is $1.26 per pound equaling $1,512.00 finished.

The cow herds still exist & have been sold off to other buyers in other parts of the U.S.A or foreign countries. Don't know of a shortage as yet. When fall comes the number of weaned calves may not be a valuable as last Falls due to the lack of corn. There are other grains that can be fed to beef cattle to fatten them but it would probably take longer time to get the gains on them.

All this can cause a rise in prices for the consumer & some brainstorming for the farmer as what would be the best decision sell them as calves get what you can for them & let someone else finish them out or finish them out yourself. This can make or break for a farmer.

Most farmers had federal crop insurance which means they will be paid for their crop failure & the money will be used to buy fuel, seed, & fertilizer to plant again next year.

[Alysser]

I think it would have been easier just to rob the farmhouse. I live in a "farm town", and whenever mentioned to someone from another surrounding town people ask me if I live on a horse farm. About the only thing they have here is Corn and you guessed it - horse farms. Being a former member of the FFA, I probably should know a bit more about cattle rustling but really don't have a problem with that 'round here.

That does seem like a lot for New England though. My question is - how does anyone have the nerve to steal cattle?? I'd be paranoid that someone was watching somewhere! No matter how big the ranch is. I am sure this is extremely common out west, but I guess getting caught'd depend on the acreage of the farm. It's not exactly easy to hide either!

[Bonny]

I live near farms and see cows going by all the time. They pack them in. I don't know the exact number but it is many. They aren't cared for like horses! My guess is that you can get at least 15 or 20 in a trailer at a time.

Your average goose neck heavy duty trailer which is pulled by a 3/4 ton pick up with duals will hold up to 10 head beef fat cattle (girls called heifers, boys called steers) lets say up to 1200 pounds each.

Cows are female cattle which have been breed & have had calves. They can be beef or dairy breeds.

A farmer that raises animals for consumption takes good care of them because they are his/her livelihood. A person can get injured or killed by farm animals if they are not careful around them.

Yes, the animals can also be injured. That is where you call the veterinary to come & put them to sleep if nothing can be done for them or have someone shot them if you plan to consume the meat. We had a steer break a leg years ago & the veterinary could not do a thing for him so we planned to consume the meat instead of wasting it.

Farming is not for the faint of heart & the products are there to feed a world of hungry people.

[Cataholic]

Your average goose neck heavy duty trailer which is pulled by a 3/4 ton pick up with duals will hold up to 10 head beef fat cattle (girls called heifers, boys called steers) lets say up to 1200 pounds

A farmer that raises animals for consumption takes good care of them because they are his/her livelihood.

Farming is not for the faint of heart & the products are there to feed a world of hungry people.

Not to quibble with you, but neither of these statments are overly accurate. Abuse of farm animals is at the top of many humane lobbying groups agenda, and we could feed many, many more people with the grain we feed our livestock, then with the flesh of the livestock.

[Grace]

As a side note, the Amish are big into puppy mills - especially in Pennsylvania.

[Karen]

As a side note, the Amish are big into puppy mills - especially in Pennsylvania.

Which caused me to lose respect for them in a big way. I know it is not every Amish family, but still, I don't care who you are, puppy mills are intolerable.

[phesina]

I'm with you there, Karen. Absolutely intolerable and unforgivable.

[Cataholic]

Grace and Karen- absolutely! I should not have used the term 'farm animals', as that is too narrow. Puppy millers, circus exploiters, carnival people, the list goes on. People that "use" animals for commercial uses do not treat animals well, not by a long shot.

[Lady's Human]

And how much of the abuse caught on video has been staged by PETA et al. to prove the abuse is happening?

Sorry, I'm surrounded by farms, and the animals seem pretty well cared for.

Put down the broad brush, you're spattering yourself with.....

[Bonny]

Not to quibble with you, but neither of these statments are overly accurate. Abuse of farm animals is at the top of many humane lobbying groups agenda, and we could feed many, many more people with the grain we feed our livestock, then with the flesh of the livestock.

They are accurate & I live in a farming community on a farm & we raise cattle. Why would we abuse our animals? Enjoy your bowl of cereal people can not live on grain alone they need protein in their diet.

The lobbying groups should spend more time & be more concerned about the conditions of humans.