10 lambs beaten to death by stock thieves

"This is enough to break any farmer's heart," said Cobus Botha, who farms with his son on the two farms, Weltevreden and Helpmekaar, between Carolina and Hendrina.

His son FJ's lambs were probably killed because they bleated when a flock of sheep was stolen from his farm at the weekend.

"They chased the sheep out of the kraal and into the mealie fields... and then shepherded a flock of ewe and ten lambs near the main road. The lambs would have bleated because they were looking for their mothers."

The lambs were first strangled with wire and then beaten to death with a pipe, said Botha senior.

His son came across the dead lambs and bloodied pipe in the mealie field.

Another nine sheep, bound by the feet, were discovered in the field.

They still got away with 15 sheep, said Botha.