Quebec’s farmers’ union is asking for help in containing a herd of cattle that has been wreaking havoc on farmers’ fields near a small town in the province’s Mauricie region.
In a post on Facebook, the regional chapter of the Union des Producers Agricoles is asking farmers to volunteer their skills and equipment as it plans to try to capture the cattle on Sunday.
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Q has 20 or so young animals on the lamb. since they jumped out of their territory in late July and have eluded previous attempts to get them back—including the efforts of a posse of cowboys from the nearby town of Saint-Tite, which is home to an annual rodeo.
The province’s agriculture department, which describes the situation as “complex and unprecedented,” says it has sent a team to the city to help develop a plan to recapture the cattle.
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The mayor of Saint-Sever, Jean-Yves Saint-Arnaud, told The Canadian Press on Wednesday that he tried calling the Department of Agriculture, but was told it was not related to animal breeding.
The cows have caused more than $20,000 in damage since the escape, he said.
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