£3,000 reward for safe return of eight stolen cows

Farmers Sandra Wood and Jonathan Hall believe the cows, part of a 60-strong suckler herd, were ’sorted’ by the thieves beforehand.

Nearly two weeks on from the theft, Gordon Wardman of Wardmans (Matlock) Ltd is offering a £3,000 reward for the safe return of the cows.

Ms Wood, who farms near Bakewell, believes the thieves then returned with a lorry some time between March 30 and March 31 and took the animals they had selected.

“They took a certain stamp of cow - a stylish square cow," she told Farmers Guardian.

"Obviously they had been to the sheds before and checked which they were going to take, looking back on several occasions our cattle have been very spooky.

"We couldn’t understand why at the time but we think they had been in the shed moving them around. Five of the cows still had calves on them, two were springing, close to calving and one was barren."

Anyone with any information about the cattle is asked to call Derbyshire Police via 101 or Gordon Wardman on 01629 56678.

Details of cattle stolen

Three Blonde d’Aquitaine cross cows - two chocolate and one light brown colour

UK163131 701027 DOB 10/07/09

UK163131 701020 DOB 14/06/09

UK163131 401122 DOB 14/05/10

One Bazadaise cross - brown/black colour

UK166376 100168 DOB 14/07/11

Two red Limousins

UK171484 700058 DOB 20/04/11

UK163138 700901 DOB 14/06/12

One pedigree red Limousin

UK166125 500335 DOB 09/12/08

One black Limousin

UK162840 500541 DOB 29/04/08