AUGUSTA (AP) — The town of Readfield is taking its beef with a local farmer to court.

Readfield said in a lawsuit filed against Edward Munson that his cattle are a threat to public safety because they keep getting loose. The town alleges in the suit that Munson’s cattle have escaped 30 times between September and May. He has about 120 head of Angus and Hereford cows, but usually just one or few get loose at a time.

The town asked in the suit filed in Kennebec County Superior Court that Munson be fined and ordered to remove the animals from the property.

Munson told the Kennebec Journal (http://bit.ly/15XLOay ) a young bull responsible for some of the breakouts has been moved for the summer. He also said he plans on erecting new fencing soon.