| Summary: | In South Africa, the increasing incidence of stock theft and poaching, with the accompanying
cruelty to animals, affects all sectors of the livestock farming, including the large commercial
farmers, stud breeders and the smallholder rural farmers who may own one or two cattle. Animal
forensics, which includes DNA and protein technologies, can provide a useful tool for identifying
stolen animals. Protein and DNA based methods can be used to establish the identity, ownership,
parentage and traceablitiy or origin of the species of individual animals, using samples of blood
meat, hair and other tissues collected from crime scenes. DNA microsatellite marker sets are
used to obtain DNA profiles. The PCR procedure provides for the analysis of minute quantities
of DNA. The analysis of protein profiles provides a simple but powerful means for animal and
species identification. The paper discusses cases where animal forensic techniques have led to
successful convictions.
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