Dartmoor livestock 'Reflect to Protect' campaign

Livestock on Dartmoor are particularly vulnerable in the dark winter months

Hundreds of cattle and ponies on Dartmoor will be wearing reflective collars this winter in a bid to cut down on the number of livestock deaths and injuries.

It comes as the latest figures show more than 100 moorland sheep, cows and ponies have been killed or injured already this year.

The 'Reflect to Protect' campaign funded by the Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society means 500 cattle and 600 ponies will be wearing the collars.

As the winter approaches the police are also repeating their message to motorists to cut their speed when driving on the moor.

The reflective collars are not suitable for sheep but will be used on 1100 cows and ponies

Karla McKechnie works with the Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society and Dartmoor Commoners’ Council, and said there have been 112 animals involved in road traffic accidents already this year.

Of these the vast majority are killed, with the rest injured.

"Unless you've dealt with a road traffic accident involving livestock, you can't appreciate it, it's horrendous," she said.

"Just as soon as a motorist hits those cattle grids and comes onto common ground, we say please get your wits about you, and drive really, really carefully."

Farmer Layland Branfield said the dark evenings meant reduced visibility for motorists, and the animals were drawn to the warmth of the roads and the salt from gritting.

"I had a favourite cow last year, and her front leg was smashed and she was hobbling around in the dark, and I was trying to do something about it, and it just made me thoroughly angry, " he said.

"I appreciate that sometimes people aren't aware, but in some of these cases people must know something happened and please just come and report it."

Livestock Protection Officer Karla McKechnie hopes the reflective collars will help motorists spot livestock

Devon and Cornwall Police said drivers had a legal obligation to report an incident if they hit any livestock.

Sergeant Tom Ottley said officers spent a day monitoring speeding on the moors recently.

"Only two throughout the day were over the speed limit. However, it doesn't take much for that to become an accident," he said.

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