Cattle rustling

Cattle rustling or cattle raiding is the act of stealing livestock.

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In the American Old West, rustling was sometimes was serious offense, and could rarely result in a lynching by vigilantes, but most such stories were false and due to Westerns such as The Virginian. Mexican rustlers were a major issue during the American Civil War, with the Mexican government being accused of supporting the habit. Texans likewise stole cattle from Mexico, swimming them across the Rio Grande. These cattle were called 'wet stock'. Failure to brand new calves facilitated theft.

Related Topics:
American Old West - Lynching - Vigilantes - Westerns - The Virginian - Mexican - Civil War - Rio Grande

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Conflict over (mostly presumed) rustling was a major issue in the Johnson County War in the American state of Wyoming.

Related Topics:
Johnson County War - American - Wyoming

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The transition from open range to fenced grazing gradually reduced the practice of rustling in North America. In the 20th century, so called 'suburban rustling' became more common, with rustlers anesthetizing cattle and taking them directly to auction. It often takes place at night, and poses problems for law enforcement because on very large ranches it can take several days for loss of cattle to be noticed and reported. Convictions can be rare to nonexistent.

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Cattle rustling continues to be a major problem in developing countries in areas such as Sub-Saharan Africa, and Kenya cattle raids.

Related Topics:
Developing countries - Sub-Saharan Africa - Kenya cattle raids

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