Another reminder

[Arnold Ziffle]

Dun's reminder about the dangers of working with cattle prompts me to share a little different ranching story --- and to urge all of you not be too intent on working outside when thunder boomers are around. Some of the locals tell me that last week an older neighbor from down the road was doing some fence work while the sky was very threatening and misting, and only the start of an actual downpour made him run to his pickup for cover. Very soon thereafter a big bolt came down and fried 7 of his cows that were milling about, very near to where he had been working. I reckon it could have easily been him that got hit if he had kept on working. Stay safe folks -- the work will surely keep until some later day or time.

 

[Beefy]

we had 12 (including the bull) taken out by dancing lightning when i was younger. certainly gave me a respect for lightning after that. it seems every year we hear of someone killed working out in a thunderstorms (usually working on a pivot or other irrigation equipment, seems like.)

 

[Wewild]

Good advice.

I've had lightn' run in on me three times. Twice it touched me and the other time it blew sparks out past my shoulder. Stay away from plumbing or electrical devices during a storm.

I don't care much for it.

 

[Beefy]

you and medic sure have good luck when it comes to near death experiences.

Nevertheless, i think i'll stand over here :arrow:

 

[Wewild]

you and medic sure have good luck when it comes to near death experiences.

Nevertheless, i think i'll stand over here :arrow:

Smart move. I don't like being in those shoes either.

 

[JustACountryGirl]

A few years back a lady here lost like 22 bred cows to a giant bolt. The cows gathered under a tree that got struck, all the cows got fried. I've heard in FL that lightening can strike up to 10 miles before the actual storm even gets to you.

 

[MoGal]

A lady lost a mare and colt by lightening a couple weeks ago.
The mare and colt were out in an open field, but were on the highest point of the field (I've been told that is usually what happens when one is struck, but I don't know if that is true or not). Made her sick because she didn't have any insurance on them either.


(Also wonder why the rendering truck charges $52 for a horse but only $17 for a cow)

 

[Jake]

we were drivin into Linn Post this summer during the rain and a bolt hit not 50 yards from us back across the highway. The spot it hit started smoking, the concussion slammed us against the seat and it scared the dickens out of ya since it was the first bolt of the whole storm.

 

[madbeancounter1]

Earlier this spring just about 2 miles from my place a fellow lost 12 head and a bull. All gathered under a tree during a heavy rain and lighting struck. Fellow told the new reporter that he had just bought the bull not 6 weeks earlier.

My mother tells of when she a was a little girl in West VA how she, my aunt and a cousin that the family had taken in were sleeping in a big upstairs room when lightning came in through a electrical outlet and danced around the room. Lucky it didn't hit the bed the three of them shared. Mom said she just lay in the room and watched it bounce around. Finally went out a recept on the opposite side from where it came in.

 

[bigbull338]

ive alwats hated working when it was lightening.esp feeding calves an running back an forth to the dairy.not to mention trying to get the cows locked in drippshed for it hit.milking wasnt to fun either with lighing flashing .but you couldnt stop milking.scott

 

[madbeancounter1]

When I was knee high to a toad stool we milked about 50 head or so of Holstein.

When the Palm Sunday tornadoes went through nothern Indiana I got stuffed in a neighbors basement while everyone else was milking. Tornadoes came within a 1/2 mile of the farm. Dad said he never heard them over the noise of the milkers and vaccum.

A good friend down the road wasn't so lucky. Their operation was quite a bit larger than ours. They lost a barn with all their spring heifers and another barn where they had feeder calves. Fortunately the only damage to the barn they were milking in was that roof was taken off. They never heard it coming either.

I wondered why Dad didn't come in that night after chores... he had taken the big PTO powered generator down to the their place so that they would have power to finish milking with and stayed to help.

 

[flaboy]

I lost one horse and one other got lame from the same strike. I assume I have lost several cows also. Just foud them dead after a storm. Watch your fences also. Lightening will run down a fence for a long ways.

When I was a kid I had lightening hit a tree in the yard I was under (raining also). I didn't feel a thing but my mother in the house washing dishes got a charge. Guess someone had other plans for me.

 

[Chuck]

Lightening will run down a fence for a long ways.

When I was in grade school, I rode along with my Grandad to look at a set of cattle. Before we got there, it came up a good thunderstorm. We were in the truck looking over the fence at some of the cattle who had bunched up in a corner. Lightning struck the fence, a ball of fire rolled down the top barb and went out on the backs of the cattle. It rolled around on them for a few seconds and disappeared. Other than a little singed hair none appeared to be hurt. That was close to 35 years ago and I can still see that ball of fire and the smoke coming off their backs like it was yesterday.