WARREN, Man., – For Darren MacMillan, raising cattle is what he loves most. But due to recent livestock thefts in the area, working with them also comes with risk.
At his farm near Warren, Man., about 39 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, MacMillan has a herd of cattle worth thousands of dollars each. He says protecting them is an ongoing concern, though he is constantly monitoring the herd.
“As a child, I remember seeing carcasses and animals that had been butchered,” he said.
“I know of neighbours who have lost trailer loads of cattle and I’m not sure where they ended up, and more or less police themselves are trying to track them down.”
While he personally hasn’t seen any theft on his property, he says it’s always on his mind.
According to a recent news release from the Manitoba government, 57 reported cases of cattle theft or fraud were reported to Manitoba RCMP between 2021 and 2025.
Incidents like this have now prompted the province to crack down on livestock crimes.
Manitoba’s Justice Minister Matt Wiebe and Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced last week that the province is providing funding to Manitoba RCMP to hire a designated officer to investigate livestock-related crimes.
“Our government is strengthening enforcement, improving co-ordination with producers and law enforcement partners, and helping ensure those who commit crimes against Manitoba’s agriculture sector are held accountable,” Wiebe said last Thursday.
RCMP investigators will collaborate with producers and other law enforcement agencies to enforce provincial livestock legislation and the Criminal Code, with the goal of deterring cattle theft and fraud.
Producers have been calling on the province for years to implement a dedicated officer to support livestock inspections.
Similar models are already in place in both Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Back in August, a 52-year-old Saskatchewan man was charged with altering the brands of almost 200 cattle, which was investigated by that province’s livestock investigator.
‘Need that enforcement in place’
Carson Callum, the CEO of Manitoba Beef Producers, says Manitoba’s model will be based on initiatives in Saskatchewan and Alberta, which he says has proved successful.
“It’s been a long-debated topic to bring an inspection service here,” he said. “Over the years, there’s been a concern in the industry of theft and fraud.”
He says there are many factors that go into livestock-related crime, including rising input costs that go into operating and putting up feed for the animals.
He says another factor is the high cost of food, including beef. Food expert Sylvain Charlebois agrees.
“The incentive is clearly there for the black market, for people who want to not only get cheap beef, but there’s a black market for beef because of these price tags,” said Charlebois, who is the director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
“What I’m hearing right now, is that more and more ranchers are basically getting the proper equipment to offer their herds some level of security to prevent theft.”
MacMillan said adding this position in Manitoba is a good step but believes more positions are needed to address this issue across the province.
“The province is a big area and there’s so many auction marts, so many places where someone steals some cattle, loads them up and hauls them somewhere to sell,” he said.
He hopes stronger enforcement moving forward will keep his cattle safe.
“We need people on the ground looking after this,” he said.
