Cattle rustling on rise to supply cheap meat

CATTLE rustling is increasing amid the cost of living crisis as livestock is being snatched and sold as cheap meat, according to a rural crime survey.

About £2.4million worth of cattle and sheep were stolen last year with insurers predicting 2022 could see a rise of up to 40 per cent because of the demand for cheap black market meat.

There has already been a doubling of fuel thefts from farm storage tanks and vehicles to more than £370,000 in the first six months of the year as criminals exploit rising prices.

Jim Mclaren, chair of NFU Mutual, which conducted the survey, said: “With diesel and fertiliser prices soaring and the cost of living crisis biting, it looks likely that we will see rural crime rise in the coming months.”

In some cases, criminals have slaughtered and butchered animals while still in the farmers’ fields, meaning they did not undergo safety checks at a registered abattoir.

As well as animal welfare concerns, NFU Mutual said there were health risks from unhygienic butchering or animals entering the food chain after being treated with drugs or medicines.

The survey also reported a surge in dog attacks on animals driven by the “pandemic generation” of new pets.