Three commercial show heifers which were feared stolen from the farm of well-known cattle breeder James Alexander at Randalstown, Co Antrim, have been recovered.

“They mysteriously reappeared today,” Alexander told the Irish Farmers Journal.

The heifers were found close to his farm today, in an area that he is adamant they were not last night when he was searching for them.

He believes the animals were stolen, but when the alarm was raised and “the heat was on”, the thieves changed their mind and dumped the animals again.

"They were healthy and content, like cattle that had been fed overnight," he said. "They were not to be found in that area last night."

The Antrim cattle breeder had offered a reward to anyone with leading to the return of the animals.