Farmer's dismay as 81 lambs disappear from fields
BBCA farmer has said he will never be able to restore his flock after 81 lambs disappeared from his fields.
Richard Berry, who farms at Kenn, near Exeter, noticed the drop in numbers as he brought the sheep in for shearing on Wednesday. The lambs were a mix of Suffolks, Charollais, Texels and crosses and larger than most commercial lambs.
"We've invested in breeding these sheep over a number of years, we're never going to be able to replace that," said Berry.
Devon and Cornwall police presume the animals were stolen and have urged livestock owners to review their security and be vigilant. The latest incident follows the disappearance of 64 ewes and lambs in Cornwall earlier this month.
Berry said whoever took the lambs would have known what they were doing but that farmers were extremely vulnerable to livestock theft.
"We're so open, it's frustrating, how do you go about preventing this for the future?
"Nothing can stop it, we can lock gates but if you want to get in, you'll still get in.
"The industry is very open to this problem."
"I'm still clutching on to the hope of it being a silly mistake but it's looking more and more likely it's not," he added.
The police said the lambs had not been tagged but most of them had been marked red with a smaller number in green or black.
Officers said they were keen to hear from anyone who lives or works in the area and may have seen any suspicious activity.
They said they were especially keen to hear from anyone who saw vehicles such as livestock trailers or lorries and anyone gathering or moving sheep over the last five or six weeks.
The incident in Kenn comes after 64 ewes and lambs were believed to have been taken from land near the Halloon Roundabout between St Columb and Indian Queens in Cornwall on Saturday.
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