In Missouri, occasional lightning strikes and thunderclaps are to be expected this time of year.
The area has suffered greatly as a result of recent severe weather and flooding.
Springfield farmer Jared Blackwelder and his wife Misty heard loud crashes on a Saturday morning after feeding the dairy cows, but they didn’t give it much attention.
But when Blackwelder went back to the pasture to gather the cows for the nighttime milking, he saw the terrible scene: his thirty-two dairy cows lying dead on the mulch piled on top of one another.
According to Stan Coday, president of the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau, “he went out to bring the cows in and that’s when he found them,” CBS News reported.It occurs frequently. It does occur. The sheer quantity of animals impacted was what made this situation the worst.
The local veterinarian who performed the examination informed Coday that lightning was, in fact, the reason behind the cows’ deaths.
The cows might have sought cover under the trees in unison as the storm raged overhead.
Coday stated, “You’re at the mercy of mother nature,” and mentioned that he had lost a cow to lightning a few years prior.
Coday said that although farmers are aware of the possibility, suffering such a loss is extremely tough.
They are not like pets at all. However, I’ve raised every one of the ones I’m milking,” Blackwelder said to the Springfield News-Leader.Because you handle dairy cattle twice a day, they are a little different. It gives you a strong knock.
It’s also a financial debacle.
Blackwelder claimed to have insurance, but the News-Leader said he’s not sure if it will pay for his losses.
He estimates that the worth of each certified organic cow is between $2,000 and $2,500, resulting in a nearly $60,000.
“The majority of producers don’t have insurance,” Coday stated.“You lose everything if you lose a cow.”
In response to inquiries from nearby neighbors, Coday, a breeder of beef cows, would like to make it clear that meat from Blackwelder’s animals could not be recovered.
“Those animals are damaged, and when he found them, they had obviously been there for a few hours,” he remarked.An animal must go through a certain procedure in order to be processed. They wouldn’t have been suitable for ingestion by humans.
Because of Missouri’s gentler climate, Coday also pointed out that the majority of farmers in the state do not own a separate cow barn.
Halloween Decorations Spark a Heartwarming Act of Neighborly Kindness
In a cozy neighborhood where Halloween decorations bring out everyone’s festive spirit, Emma decided to go all out. She turned her yard into a spooky graveyard scene, complete with skeletons, tombstones, and eerie lighting that cast shadows across her lawn. Emma loved Halloween and wanted her decorations to bring a thrill to the neighborhood kids and adults alike.
One evening, however, Emma received an unexpected request. Her neighbor, a father of two young children, approached her with a polite request to tone down the display. While he appreciated her enthusiasm, he explained that his children found the graveyard a bit too frightening.
At first, Emma felt a pang of disappointment—she had put so much work into creating a perfect Halloween display. But after considering her neighbor’s concerns, she decided to make a change. Emma carefully removed the skeletons and toned down the lighting, replacing some of the scarier elements with friendly pumpkins and twinkling lights.
Later, she shared the story on TikTok, explaining why she chose to adjust her display. Emma’s story quickly went viral, with viewers applauding her kindness and the way she respected her neighbor’s wishes without sacrificing Halloween fun. Her thoughtful gesture resonated with thousands, sparking a wider conversation on how small acts of understanding can strengthen community bonds.
In the end, Emma’s Halloween decorations became a hit—not just for their spooky charm but for the warm-hearted gesture that made her a neighborhood favorite.
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