Opinion ID: 1762262
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Unidentified cattle.

Text: Ten head of cattle were unidentified by ear tags. Strauss claims they are cattle he sold Fleming and their ear tags fell off. The trial court held there was insufficient proof that they belonged to Strauss and this finding is contested. However, if these cattle were identified as being sold by Strauss, they would fall in the same category as the 18 head of cattle so far as the priority of instalment notes covering them, with the possible exception of one note (Exhibit 16) involving three cows. Furthermore, we believe the trial court is right in concluding that Strauss did not meet the quantum of proof to show that these were his cows. Whether Fleming was to be believed was a determination for the trier of the fact. The court did not accept Fleming's testimony that he could identify the cows without ear tags as being those sold by Strauss. This testimony was incredible because if these 10 head in fact had been sold by Strauss to him, Fleming could not have sold any of the cattle he purchased from Strauss. Yet he testified on the trial he did sell some of the Strauss cattle. By the Court. Judgment affirmed.