Two Sihanoukville farmers are bemoaning the loss of their livelihood after the buffaloes they used for ploughing were stolen and butchered late on Friday.

Police said they awoke on Saturday to find the buffaloes missing, then followed their hoof prints to a nearby pond where they found the heads and skeletons of all four animals.

The farmers called police, who feel certain the buffaloes were killed for meat to be sold at local markets. Nokorwat