At least one cow was poisoned on a farm outside Ladysmith. The cattle were poisoned with fertilizer deliberately placed near a water source.

Police found several spots along a stream that runs through the farm where the fertilizer was placed on Monday.

“When cattle eat fertilizer, they get thirsty and then when they drink water, it bloats their stomachs and they die,” explained Mark Pitout from Secure SA.

The Ladysmith farmer reported the matter to Secure SA (SSA) on Monday morning. He told them that he had lost two cows to poisoning in recent weeks.

Someone entered the farm on Sunday night and dropped small piles of fertilizer near a water source, killing one cow. Two weeks ago, someone did the same thing and a cow died in that incident as well.

Reports that dogs in the area have also been poisoned are also being investigated.