Farmer Finds Pasture Empty, Sees All 32 Dead Cows In One Big Pile

In Missouri, the occasional crack of thunder and flash of lightning is nothing unusual for this time of year. However, recent storms have been especially severe, bringing floods and widespread damage across the region.

On a seemingly ordinary Saturday morning, Springfield farmer Jared Blackwelder and his wife, Misty, had finished feeding their dairy cows. Loud crashes echoed in the distance, but they didn’t think much of it. Later that evening, as Blackwelder returned to the pasture to gather his cows for milking, he encountered a heartbreaking scene: all 32 of his dairy cows were dead, piled together on the mulch.

“He went out to bring the cows in, and that’s when he found them,” said Stan Coday, president of the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau, in an interview with CBS News. “It’s a common occurrence. It does happen. But what made this case especially tragic was the sheer number of cows affected.”

According to a local vet who inspected the animals, the cause of death was determined to be a lightning strike. It’s believed that the cows sought shelter together beneath trees as the storm raged above.

“You’re at the mercy of Mother Nature,” Coday remarked, adding that he himself had lost a cow to lightning several years ago. He emphasized that while farmers are familiar with such risks, the loss is always devastating.

For Blackwelder, the tragedy struck a deep emotional chord. “It’s not like they’re pets, but the ones I’m milking, I’ve raised every one of them,” he told the *Springfield News-Leader.* “Dairy cattle are a little different because you interact with them twice a day. It really hits you hard.”

The financial toll is staggering as well. Blackwelder estimated the value of each certified organic cow between $2,000 and $2,500, making the total loss close to $60,000. While he has insurance, he is uncertain whether it will cover the full extent of the damage.

“Most producers don’t carry insurance,” Coday explained. “When you lose a cow, you’ve lost everything.”

Amid inquiries from local neighbors about whether any of the cows could be salvaged for meat, Coday clarified that the animals could not be processed for consumption. “Those animals were damaged and had been there for several hours when they were found,” he said. “There’s a process that must be followed for animals to be fit for human consumption, and these wouldn’t have met that standard.”

In Missouri, it’s also common for farmers not to have dedicated barns for their cattle, as the state’s milder weather typically makes shelter unnecessary. However, this tragic event underscores the unpredictability of nature and the heavy toll it can take on even the most seasoned farmers.