17 sheep were stolen from two farms in Co. Cavan over two days this week.
Gardaí confirmed that officers in Belturbet are investigating the theft of the sheep, which occurred on two separate farms in the vicinity of the village of Redhills, close to the border with Northern Ireland.
The incidents occurred between midday on Wednesday (January 13) and 9:00am on Thursday (January 14).
The two neighbouring farms each had sheep stolen. One farmer had 14 sheep stolen, while the other had three sheep stolen.
An investigation continues, and Gardaí are asking anyone with information, or who might be in a position to assist in the investigation, to contact Belturbet Garda Station.
Cattle thefts
In related news, recent figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have shown that 987 cattle were reported missing by Irish farmers in 2020, with a further 95 cattle reported stolen – amounting to 1,082 animals either missing or stolen last year.
48 of the animals reported missing were recovered, while just two of the animals thought to be stolen were retrieved, the department added.
More than half of the animals reported to the Department of Agriculture as missing – some 62% or 608 cattle – were of a beef breed, with the remaining 379 deemed to be dairy breeds.
Following the release of these figures, farmers were urged to be vigilant.
Chair of Limerick Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) Shay Galvin called for extra caution among farmers, particularly during the dark winter months.
“It’s a huge scourge on people’s income – and it’s a scourge anywhere it goes on,” Galvin told AgriLand.