Despite fines of up to $1,000 for anyone caught dumping the carcass of a farm animal on public land, authorities in New Mexico say that they're seeing a sharp increase in such dumping.

Increases in fuel prices have forced renderers, who used to pick up dead animals for free, to start charging for the service, and cattle and dairy cow operators are evidently unwilling to pay the $25 fee.

Law enforcement officials in the Clovis area told the Associated Press that most of the carcasses are Holstein calves.