Police are investigating after the carcasses of 101 mutilated lambs were dumped on farmland in the village of Radlett, Hertfordshire.
The badly decomposed animals were discarded by a footpath in plastic bags. They had been skinned, with their throats cut and ears sliced off.
See also: Northamptonshire sheep slaughter: The story behind the killing spree
A walker made the gruesome discovery last Friday (8 April). Farmers Elizabeth and Mike Stearns were away on holiday but were quickly told the shocking news by their yard manager.
Police believe Kemprow Road was used to access the farm.
Pictures show a large pile of the dead lambs in clear plastic bags, which appear to have been stacked on wooden pallets and fly-tipped from a vehicle, on to the Stearns’ land.
£970 bill
“It was horrible. We contacted our fallen stock disposer and he came and took them away. He said there were 101 dead lambs,” Mrs Stearns told Farmers Weekly.
The farmer said it was unclear how old the lambs were due to their decomposed state. The Stearns paid £970 to have the animals removed by deadstock collector Holts.
“Holts’ theory was they had been ritually slaughtered for a halal market. I am not a butcher and I wouldn’t know, but they looked as though they had been bled out and they had been skinned,” said Mrs Stearns.
‘It’s a mystery’
The Stearns’ farm is south of St Albans. They rent 80ha of arable land to a local contractor and the rest of the 105ha farm is home to a small livestock herd as well as a livery yard and other diversifications.
Mrs Stearns said: “Until recently it has not been a big sheep area but a lot of people have been doing regenerative farming and having perhaps a thousand sheep in to eat the crop down and then move the sheep on.
“It is a mystery. Somebody is missing 101 lambs or else several people are missing a few lambs.”
© Mike Stearns
Illegal meat trade
The farmer said one theory the police could be looking at was criminals involved in the illegal meat trade.
“Possibly the person dealing with illegal meat could deal with two or three lambs and get rid of them without questions being asked, but having 101 lambs is quite a lot to account for and dispose of.
“Or possibly a freezer failed.”
Hertfordshire Constabulary said it was treating the incident as fly-tipping and its investigation was ongoing.
The force appealed for information about the incident. A statement said: “It is believed the lambs, which were in bags, were dumped in a field on Hill Farm between 3pm on Thursday (7 April) and 3.45pm on Friday (8 April).”
PC Richard Donbavand, from the force’s Rural Operational Support Team, added: “We believe a truck ranging from a flat-bed to a box van in size may have been used to carry the lambs so would reiterate the appeal for anyone who may have seen a vehicle like this in the area during the times stated, to contact police.”
Anyone with information should contact PC Michael Morris at michael.morris@herts.police.uk, or call 101, quoting the crime reference 41/27785/22.
Farmers in the county concerned about the incident can contact Hertfordshire Constabulary for support and security advice.
