Over 900 head of cattle reported missing or stolen

A total of 912 cattle have been reported missing or stolen to date in 2025.

Of this number, 21 cattle have been reported as stolen while 891 cattle have gone missing, according to Department of Agriculture figures from 1 January to 31 August 2025.

The majority of these stolen animals were between 12 and 18 months of age and based on current weanling prices this puts a conservative value of over €52,000 on the 21 stolen animals.

The Department’s Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) system shows that the highest incidence was in Galway, where farmers reported the theft of eight cattle.

Nine other counties have reported between one and two animals as being stolen.

The number of cattle being reported as missing by farmers is significantly higher. So far this year, 891 cattle have been reported by farmers as missing to the Department.

The majority of missing cattle this year have been in Kildare (95), Galway (91), Laois (89) and Cork (89). Clare was also high on the list with 87 as well as Limerick with 84.

Farmers in all other counties reported less than 44 cattle missing over the last eight months, according to the Department’s records. The age groups of cattle most likely to go missing are those over 30 months and between six and 12 months of age.