Farmers armed with shotguns were combing the hills on both sides of the Monaghan/Armagh border yesterday for marauding dogs after separate weekend attacks on sheep flocks in which nearly 100 sheep were killed.
More than 50 sheep, valued at more than €20,000 were attacked and mauled at one farm near Ballybay, Co Monaghan, while on the northern side of the Border, a herd of 100 sheep at Middletown in south Armagh was also attacked, and two animals killed, one of which was valued at £600 sterling.
Other small sheep herds on cross-Border farms were also affected on recent nights and several animals killed or injured.
Yesterday, a warning was issued by the Co Monaghan executive of the Irish Farmers' Association that a "shoot-on-sight" order had gone out to farmers in dealing with wandering dogs on their lands.