Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Investigators Working To Determine Whether Cows Starved

   Investigators with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department were asked by concerned residents to launch an investigation late last week after several cows belonging to a Summertown man were placed in a ditch at the edge of a roadway.

   Deputies responded to the 100 Caldwell Road location around 8:30 Friday morning where they reported finding approximately six cows lying dead in a ditch. Deputies report they drove around the adjacent pasture where they located one additional dead cow. They indicate that the grass in the pasture “was very short” and that there appeared to be no other food source available.

   The reporting officer wrote, “I did observe some cows in the pasture that appeared not to have been fed adequately.” He said the same of those that had already died. He noted that the animals had bones protruding in both the hip and rib areas.

   Deputies made contact with the fifty-six-year-old owner, who indicated he had conferred with a veterinarian regarding his cattle. He stated that they had died from “grass tetanus.”

   The matter remains under investigation at the present time. Reports indicated that the department would keep a check on the welfare of the remaining cows.

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