Part of the herd of cows on the run in Saint-Sévère, in Mauricie, was finally captured on Saturday evening after an operation that lasted several weeks.
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Four animals were thus able to be returned to their owner yesterday morning, explained on the phone Jean-Sébastien Dubé, communications manager for the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) in Mauricie.
The animals were in good shape when they returned to their home farm, said the UPA Mauricie in a press release.
The operation that led to the capture of the cattle was done gradually, says Mr. Dubé.
A feeder was installed two or three weeks ago, then fences were installed, gradually closing the opening, until the producers decided to close it, Saturday evening.
“Only part of the herd entered the enclosure, perhaps because of the weather,” said Mr. Dubé, who estimates that 7 or 8 cattle slipped away.
A similar operation will be repeated “possibly this week” to capture them, he said.
In May, 24 cows and a few calves broke down the fence of their enclosure on a farm in Saint-Barnabé.
About half of the herd had come home on their own over the summer, Dubé said.
“In Nobody’s Court”
The epic adventure of these beasts on the loose has kept Quebec spellbound in recent weeks and has even made headlines elsewhere in the world.
The cows had wandered for many weeks in Saint-Barnabé and Saint-Sévère, causing widespread damage to fields in the region and headaches for farmers.
Before the UPA Mauricie coordinated the operation led by producers, the authorities passed the buck.
When the municipality of Saint-Sévère had urged the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Quebec (MAPAQ) to act, it had instead referred it to the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks.
The Ministry of Wildlife had indicated that it could not intervene since they are not wild animals. The Sûreté du Québec, she let it be known that she only intervened if the animals were on the roads.
Nor was it within the mandate of the UPA, which brings together agricultural producers, to capture the animals.
“It’s a bit in nobody’s backyard,” says Mr. Dubé, who underlines the solidarity of the producers who coordinated the operation in the field.