In Missouri, spring storms often bring rolling thunder and streaks of lightning. But for one Springfield farmer, a recent storm turned into a devastating tragedy.
On a Saturday morning, Jared Blackwelder and his wife Misty completed their usual chores, feeding their herd of dairy cows. Later that day, as Blackwelder returned to the pasture to bring the cows in for evening milking, he discovered a heartbreaking scene: 32 of his dairy cows lying lifeless, piled together on the ground.
“They were all on top of each other,” said Stan Coday, president of the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau, who spoke with CBS News. “Lightning strikes aren’t unusual, but what made this so devastating was the sheer number of cows lost at once.”
A veterinarian later confirmed that a lightning strike was indeed the cause. It’s believed the herd may have huddled near the trees for shelter as the storm passed overhead.
“You’re at the mercy of Mother Nature,” Coday remarked, recalling that he himself lost a cow to lightning years ago.
For Blackwelder, the loss was more than financial. “They’re not like pets, but I’ve raised every one of them,” he told the Springfield News-Leader. “With dairy cattle, you’re with them twice a day, every day. It hits you hard.”
The financial impact is staggering. Each of Blackwelder’s certified organic cows was worth between $2,000 and $2,500, adding up to nearly $60,000 in losses. Though he carries insurance, he’s uncertain whether it will cover this type of incident.
“Most producers don’t carry insurance,” Coday explained. “If you lose a cow, you’ve lost everything.”
Responding to questions from neighbors, Coday also clarified that the cows could not be salvaged for meat. “The animals were already damaged, and by the time they were found, it had been several hours. They would not have been safe for human consumption.”
Unlike some regions, most Missouri farmers don’t house their herds in barns, since the state’s mild climate usually makes year-round shelter unnecessary. Unfortunately, that left Blackwelder’s cows exposed to the storm’s deadly strike.
Post a Comment