The value of farm animals can reach astronomical heights and your investment in breeding and care can go to waste if you don’t minimise the risks of theft.
Livestock theft happens more than you think.
Research has shown that nearly 30,000 head of cattle are stolen annually in Australia, with over $8 million worth stolen in the last two years in NSW alone.
A survey of NSW and Victorian victims of farm crime found high levels of concern, but low to mid-levels of confidence in the police. Whilst NSW’s introduction of full-time rural crime prevention officers is helping, the survey found two-thirds of Victorian farmers had no idea these officers existed in their state.
New initiatives for an old problem.
Technology offers solutions to animal theft and, as a bonus, can boost productivity. A recent Australian innovation uses solar-powered animal ear tags that, via GPS, allows farmers to track and monitor animals. A joint venture of Geelong and USA based companies uses a system that integrates electronic tags with livestock management software. Video surveillance can also boost security, giving remote monitoring of your farm and alerts in real-time.
Secure your property.
Closing gates isn’t enough, ensure there are steel chains and secure locking devices on sheds, stockyards and paddocks. Check your gates can’t be easily lifted off their hinges.
Cattle rustlers and trespassers can also present a problem as if they your property to ‘liberate’ your animals. To thwart trespassers, farmers can implement various efforts to secure their property. These include erecting warning signs, install physical barriers and recording devices, create a “neighbour watch” network.
Insure your livestock.
You can also minimise the risk of theft by investing in livestock insurance. Policy options include:
- Farm property, which helps protect livestock against fire, lightning, malicious damage, and more.
- Full mortality livestock cover for disease, illness and accidental damage, and
- Stud stock insurance for individual animals covering events such as illness, and full loss of use.
If you would like to know more about protecting a key part of your farm’s assets, please CLICK HERE or contact us for more information.