Foxes, wild dogs and crows all target the newborn stock, but also when the prices go up like they are now, stock is targeted by thieves that take the live cattle.

Blayney resident Peter Hildenbeutel has been the victim of stock theft on his Guyong Road  property with a three day old calf being stolen from its mother.

Mr Hildenbeutel’s concerns lie with both the mother and the calf who he says will both be suffering.

“When they’re taken this early the mother get mastitis rendering their udders useless as they become hard and cannot produce milk,” he explained.

“Mastitis is an infection so they get a fever and quite often they can die.”

Mr Hildenbeutel believes that with Blayney being such a small community that there is a good chance that someone may know where the calf is.

“Someone may have seen somebody with a new calf that couldn’t be explained,” he said, “And you can’t say you found it on the side of the road because in that instance you have to let either the pound or the police know.”

Mr Hildenbeutel said that the calf was a dark brown Hereford and thanks to DNA, could be easily traced.

“There’s no point in trying to sell it as they won’t have the proper papers but I’d be happy just to get the calf back to its mother, with no questions asked, and no call to the police,” he said.

He suggested that people with information call either Crimestoppers or himself on 0419 417 895.