A sudden, overwhelming force of nature recently claimed the lives of dozens of dairy cows on a Missouri farm, an incident that shocked the farmer and drew widespread public sympathy. Dairy farmer Jared Blackwelder made the grim discovery on Saturday near Cabool, Missouri, after a thunderstorm swept through his organic farm. Thirty-two of his certified organic milk cows were found dead.
Mr. Blackwelder recounted seeing a bolt of lightning strike close to him earlier that Saturday morning as he finished his milking duties. “It was so bright I couldn’t hardly see,” he told the Springfield News-Leader. He added that the strike seemed to bring “fire down the fences.”
Returning to the field later in the day, Mr. Blackwelder beheld a sight he described as horrific. “I went down over the hill and seen them laying there,” he said, speaking with emotion. The cows were found “piled on top of each other,” according to Mr. Blackwelder. They had likely huddled together for shelter during the rainstorm when the lightning struck.
The loss represents 32 of Blackwelder’s roughly 150-head herd. He estimates the total loss at roughly $60,000, noting that his certified organic cows are typically valued at $2,000 to $2,500 each, approximately twice the price of conventional cattle. A veterinarian confirmed that lightning was the cause of death. The vet also told Mr. Blackwelder that in his many decades in the business, he had never seen more than six cows killed by a single lightning strike.
The farmer, while pragmatic, admitted the loss had struck an emotional blow. “It’s not like they are pets,” he said. “But the ones I’m milking, I’ve raised every one of them.” He explained that dairy cattle require twice-daily interaction, making the bond different and the loss particularly hard. Mr. Blackwelder intends to rebuild his herd and is waiting for an insurance adjuster to verify his claim before the carcasses are moved.
After the insurance process, he plans to use an excavator to bury the dead cattle. Mr. Blackwelder noted that when animals are hit by lightning, they are unusable because it “blows them up from the inside.” He still has about 120 cows remaining and expressed gratitude that more were not killed. The incident gained significant attention online after the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau shared photos, leading to thousands of shares and comments from strangers offering condolences.
Stan Coday, president of the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau, described lightning strikes killing cattle as a “common occurrence,” but he was stunned by the sheer number of cows affected in this incident. “The thing that made this the worst was just the sheer number of cows that were affected,” Mr. Coday told CBS News. He added, “You’re at the mercy of mother nature,” reflecting on the challenges farmers face.
While natural disasters like lightning strikes can lead to mass animal deaths, recent cases in the United States and the United Kingdom have highlighted devastating losses caused by severe neglect and criminal activity. In Bristol, UK, a man was recently jailed for 32 weeks following an investigation that uncovered what inspectors called one of the most horrific scenes they had ever encountered involving livestock.
Inspectors from the RSPCA visited Ingst Manor Farm in Olveston, Bristol, in March 2015 after concerns were raised about animal welfare. They found sheep, pigs, cows, goats, and horses struggling for survival. The living animals were amid piles of dead livestock, with some trapped in faeces.
Hundreds of dead animals and body parts were also discovered, piled up and scattered across the large, secluded farm property. During visits, officers observed thin horses attempting to walk through thick mud. These areas were littered with hazards, including scrap metal, barbed wire, and broken fencing. A bonfire containing animal bones was also noted on the property.
Further gruesome discoveries included a decomposing horse found wrapped in plastic. Another dead horse was found attached to the rear of a vehicle, with rope tied around its neck. Inspectors located a muddy barn containing sick and starving sheep, cows, and pigs.
This same barn was found to also hold piles of dead animals. Inspectors observed lambs and calves standing next to what were thought to be their dead mothers. The court heard that 50-year-old Mark Downes had agreed to take on the care of Sue Smith’s farm near Bristol in exchange for being allowed to keep his horses on the property.
Bristol Magistrates Court sentenced Mr. Downes to 32 weeks in prison and imposed a £1,000 fine. He received a total of 22 convictions related to the case. District judge Lyn Matthews commented that Mr. Downes was “inadequate to the task.” She described the situation he presided over as a “total animal welfare disaster.”
In addition to the jail term and fine, Mr. Downes was ordered to pay £1,000 in costs. He was also permanently banned from keeping livestock. The court proceedings concluded this chapter of the case, stemming from the shocking conditions discovered by inspectors several years prior.
Across the Atlantic, in Humboldt County, California, a five-month investigation into animal cruelty complaints regarding properties owned by or associated with local rancher Raymond Frank Christie uncovered extensive evidence of neglect and mass animal deaths. Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputies initiated the investigation based on community complaints about serious violations taking place on the properties.
During their investigation, deputies observed bovine bones and carcasses located in or near waterways on the properties. They also noted areas where cattle were being contained with little to no feed or grass, validating the initial concerns.
On Monday, March 19, 2018, the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrants at four northern Humboldt County properties associated with Mr. Christie. The operation involved assistance from multiple agencies, including the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, the United States Bureau of Land Management, and the United States Department of Agriculture.
Other state agencies involved were the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Local agencies providing assistance included Humboldt County Code Enforcement, the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services Hazardous Materials Division, Humboldt County Animal Control, and the Humboldt County Drug Task Force.
During the service of the warrants, personnel located approximately 250 to 300 deceased cows. Some of these deceased animals had been heaped into large piles, estimated to be approximately 10 feet high, near an excavator. Others were found lying in or near waterways across the properties.
Personnel also discovered a large number of cows contained in small or insufficient corrals. Many of these animals were observed to be malnourished. The investigation also uncovered numerous other violations beyond the treatment of the cattle.
Further violations found included improper handling of animal identification, such as moving dairy cattle without official ID tags, removal of Brucellosis tags, and removal of state livestock back tags. There were also instances of bringing cattle into California without required veterinary inspection certificates or ID tags.
The cases from Missouri, California, and the United Kingdom, though distinct in their immediate causes—from a lightning strike to alleged criminal neglect and violence—collectively paint a picture of the varied and sometimes devastating circumstances that can lead to the mass death of livestock. They highlight the impacts of both unpredictable natural forces and, in multiple instances, severe failures in human responsibility and care.
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