Shear genuis... how coded markers could help defeat the sheep rustlers
TECHNOLOGY USING coded markers is being employed to combat sheep rustling in North Yorkshire.
The system, which ingrains thousands of markers onto a sheep’s fleece, is being trialled on a Moors farm near Castleton.
The initaitive could then be rolled out as part of a project with North Yorkshire Police to tackle the offence which has seen hundreds of livestock stolen in the region in recent years.
“Sheep stealing is a major problem for the whole of the UK, but in recent years the NorthEast has been particularly hard hit,” said John Minary, a former senior police detective and director of York-based Tracein-Metal, which developed the TecTracer product. “It will certainly make would-be thieves think twice before contemplating stealing them.”
According to the NFU Mutual Rural Crime Report 2016, livestock rustling remains a huge problem at a cost of £2.9m to the UK economy. In Yorkshire, more than 200 lambs and sheep have been stolen from farms near Kirkbymoorside, Harrogate, Skipton, Settle and Thornton Le Clay since 2014. In January, nine sheep were taken from a farm between Cold Kirby and Old Byland, while about 100 hog-horned sheep were stolen between April and May this year near Ingleton in the Dales.
Jonathan Murray, who is trialling the TecTracer system on his 180-strong flock at Brownhill Farm in Westerdale, said sheep rustling is an increasing worry, adding: “A lot of farmers feel quite isolated and criminals are becoming more resourceful. We need to ensure we are equipped with the latest assets to deter thieves from stealing our property and potentially ruining our livelihoods.”
Farmers feel quite isolated and criminals are becoming resourceful Farmer Jonathan Murray, who is trialling the new technology.