Walkabout cattle

More than 25 cattle were found on council land after apparently breaking through a Long Bay farm electric fence and wandering up the road.

North Shore City Council animal control co-ordinator Lee Exler says the 27 cows and two bulls found on the corner of East Coast Rd and Glenvar Rd are worth more than $30,000.

Council officers tracked down the owner through a tag in one of the cow’s ears.

The cattle, which were born last year, were being kept on land near Long Bay to breed, he says.

Mr Exler says they used a farmer’s four-hectare paddock near where the cattle were found in East Coast Bays to hold the animals while the owners were tracked down.

The council says the incident took up a lot of resources, including about eight hours of staff time, and the owners may be fined.