Saturday morning started like any other for Springfield farmer Jared Blackwelder and his wife, Misty. They went about their usual routine of feeding the dairy cows. Later that day, a thunderstorm rolled in, and loud crashes of thunder briefly caught their attention. But it wasn’t until the evening milking that things took a turn for the worse.
When Jared went out to gather the herd, he was hit with a devastating sight—32 dairy cows lying dead on the pasture. The tragedy was so unexpected, especially because lightning strikes affecting cattle aren’t that uncommon. Stan Coday, president of the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau, explained to CBS News that this incident stood out because of the large number of cows lost.
A local veterinarian confirmed that the lightning strike was the cause, suggesting the cows had huddled together under trees for shelter during the storm, unknowingly putting themselves at risk. “You’re at the mercy of nature,” Coday said, recalling that he had lost a cow to lightning years ago.
For Jared Blackwelder, the loss was especially tough. “It’s not like they are pets, but the cows I’m milking, I’ve raised every one of them,” he said. Dairy farmers often develop a strong bond with their animals, making the loss even harder.
Beyond the emotional strain, the financial blow was enormous. Blackwelder estimated the value of his organic cows to be around $2,000 to $2,500 each, totaling nearly $60,000. While he has insurance, there’s no guarantee it will cover such a loss. Many farmers like Blackwelder face the harsh reality that insurance may not cover livestock losses, as Coday mentioned.
Local neighbors wondered if the meat from the cows could be saved, but Coday confirmed that wasn’t possible. “The animals were damaged and had been there for hours,” he said, explaining that they wouldn’t be fit for consumption.
The tragedy highlights the challenges of farming in Missouri, where milder weather means many farmers don’t have barns to protect their cattle from storms.
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