Scourge of cattle rustling topic of National Symposium
by Kim Lucas
CATTLE farmers and technicians from around the country yesterday participated in the first ever National Symposium on Cattle Rustling held at the Ocean View Convention Centre, East Coast Demerara. The seminar, organised by the Cattle Farmers Associations Coordinating Committee and opened by Minister of Fisheries, Crops and Livestock, Mr Satyadeow Sawh, was aimed at fostering a clearer understanding of the causes and effects of rustling, and to find a solution to the problem. The high incidence of cattle rustling in Guyana is of major concern, and has resulted in a drastic decline in the country's dairy livestock population over recent years. Deputy Programme Director of the National Dairy Development Programme (NDDP), Mr Autry Haynes, said between 1990 and 1993, there was a marked decline in the cattle population, and this has affected the milk and beef enterprises. He said that up to last year, the cattle population in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam) declined by one per cent, while there were nine and seven per cent drops in Regions Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands) and Four (Demerara/ Mahaica), respectively. In Rupununi alone, there was a decline from 60,000 to 15,000 head of cattle from 1970 to last year, while statistics coming out of Region Six (East Berbice/ Corentyne) showed that some 60 to 80 head of cattle, worth between $180,000 to $240,000, are being rustled every week. Haynes pointed out that cattle farming is the second largest industry, after rice cultivation, in Region Six. However, he said that although there is a decline in the number of cattle, fresh-milk production has increased from 3.3 million gallons in 1983, to 8.7 million gallons in 1993. Haynes and other presenters - Mr R. Indal, of Region Six and Mr Mohamed Khan, of Region Nine - all pointed to several factors that lead to the high incidence of cattle rustling. According to them, cattle rustlers are well organised and well informed, due to a good information network with the Police, butchers, public health workers, farmers and community members. The rustlers, who are often armed, are seldom brought to justice, farmers complained. Other factors include the inadequate legal and Policing systems, improper slaughtering practices, poor animal management practices and the lack of cooperation among farmers. Haynes said there are cases where farmers assist rustlers, either because of malice or envy, and in other instances, don't "look out" for each other. This, coupled with light penalties; alleged collaboration among the Police, rustlers and butchers; night slaughter; recycling of skins of animals slaughtered legitimately; mutilation of skins to conceal brands; heads of animals not being made available for examination; and the slaughtering of pregnant animals; were mentioned yesterday as other contributing factors. Public Health workers and Magistrates, too, came in for heavy criticisms from the cattle farmers. The gathering was told that due to a slackening up of regulations by public health and veterinary workers, carcasses are often not properly inspected and marked. Further, there are reports of uncontrolled and unsupervised bottom-house slaughter, vets not inspecting animals before signing slaughter permits, and officials not being present at the time of slaughter. The group feels that there should be more stringent methods to deal with errant and unscrupulous butchers. However, farmers, too, must play their role in helping to curb the situation, since many are guilty of poor animal management practices, Haynes said. Cattle are often left to roam and graze unsupervised, and there are reports of unauthorised grazing of animals in rice and cane fields at nights. Haynes said this may be due to the lack of established pastures for controlled grazing of animals. Ninety per cent of Guyana's cattle is on the coastland, and according to the Deputy Director, more than 50 per cent of cattle farmers are small producers with less than 20 heads per household. Also present at the symposium were NDDP Project Director, Mr Meer Bacchus; Mr Charles Carmichael of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA); Chairman of the Region Six Regional Cattle Farmers' Association, Mr Sanichar; and representatives from other governmental and non-governmental organisations and the private sector. The workshop was sponsored by NDDP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, and IICA.
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