Rustling Rise Hurts Ranchers

The rate of cattle theft has more than doubled in the past year to about 45 head a month, according to officials at the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. Many blame the weak economy. "We talk about the tough economic times and you talk about the factories closing in the city, but you forget about the rural communities. They're hurting, too," said Tom Troxel, an agriculture professor at the University of Arkansas. "Cattle rustling always seems to go up when the economy goes down." States such as Texas, Missouri and Montana also report steep increases in cattle rustling, Troxel said. Cattle rustling might seem like a crime straight out of the Wild West, but modern livestock thieves prey on ranchers by using trucks, trailers, ATVs and a network of nearly 100 stockyards and cattle auctions across Oklahoma, said Col. Mike Grimes, director of investigative services for state Agriculture Department. Recent beef prices put a cow's value somewhere near $1,000. The price can be even higher for specialty breeds. And unlike stealing a car or tractor, most cattle can be sold for 100 percent of market value...cattlenetwork