Calves stolen in Saskatchewan

Between the last week of November and the first week of December, 20 calves were stolen from an acreage near Neilburg, west of the Battlefords, the RCMP says.

Someone loaded the calves on a trailer and hauled them away in a truck.

The calves, Hereford, Red Angus, Black Angus and Charolais, were not branded and had no ear tags.

Using a registered brand is one way cattleowners can protect their investment, said Chad MacPherson, a spokesperson for the province's stockgrowers association.

"Cattle are inspected at auction marts through the brand inspection program to ensure[the person with the cattle is]the rightful owner of the livestock," he said.

According to the provincial government,staff investigate about eight reports of lost or stolen cattle each year.