crude oil

[certherfbeef]

There is a holding tank across the road from the spring pasture. It was hit by lightning and now seems to be leaching thru the culvert into the pasture.

Now my cattle have free choice mineral out all year, have been wormed and are current on all vaccinations. They seem to think they need to lick this stuff, the crude oil. They almost bury their heads in the dirt and they come up with black faces.
Memorial weekend we had a heifer drop over dead. No obvious outward problems. And no, a post was not done. The vet said it would be 2 days before he could come out and said by then she would be too rank and wouldn't touch her anyway.

Wondering if and how much of the stuff it would take to kill a 1100lb short bred heifer?

That section of pasture has since been fenced off.

 

[Bama]

Careful, If the epa finds out about the oil leak they will have your pasture dug up. I would see if whoever owns the tank would do something about it.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Sorry to hear about your luck.I am not sure what it is that kills them,but I think they can get the same thing from licking the grease off a tractor if they get enough. :shock:

 

[certherfbeef]

Careful, If the epa finds out about the oil leak they will have your pasture dug up.

Ya, I know. Hazmat.

I would see if whoever owns the tank would do something about it.

Tried that, they claim it is empty and all it is salt water. Awfull dark salt water if you ask me.

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Cert -- Be sure to take some pictures, video, etc. Take good notes about the dates the various events took place. Get some other folks to observe the problem and perhaps memorialize their observations (get it notarized), etc., etc. You probably don't need to turn into Erin Brockovich but, in short, get all the ammo you think you'd like to have if push comes to shove -- you'll especially want it if any more of your stock mysteriously turns up dead. I've had a few similar concerns about upstream chemical spills in the creek that runs through my place and have heard of other similar situations, although none related to specific problems associated with oil tank leakage.

 

[Bama]

I happen to do double duty here at work as a hazmat tech. If even a car leaks oil onto our parking lot I have to send someone out to clean it up. Our plant is within 100 feet of the Tennessee river. You would not believe the price we have to pay for runoff water from that parking lot.

 

[jerry27150]

who's tank is it? they would be paying for the heifer & cleaning it up. call your congressman. leaving it like that, is a definite no no.

 

[Muratic]

Is there a blood test you can do on the remaining cattle to see if there are elevated levels of anything that may be harmful?

 

[Campground Cattle]

Check the ph if the tank had any h2s with water will make sulfuric acid, also hydrocarbons contain orgainic nitrogen and chlorides which can make Ammonium salts and a variety of other compounds. If you can get a sample and send to a lab test for the following Gas Chrom.,N,S, and metals.

 

[SF]

Pictures, video, samples, etc...
Send samples to lab and have tested.
Have an attorney contact the company who owns the tank. In addition contact their insurance company.
If they don't respond within 24 hours to clean up and take care of your cows, then contact EPA and your local news station. They will clean up their mess and probably purchase your herd from you at a premium price, just to shut you up.

Know of a similar incident out near Abilene. Oil company bought the entire herd, cleaned up the mess.

 

[TheBullLady]

Just when a person thinks they've heard it all!

What a predicament Cert. As the other posters mentioned, I would be calling someone to get it cleaned up. You don't need it leaching into your soils any more than you need your cows in it.

Let us know what happens!

 

[certherfbeef]

Pictures, video, samples, etc...
Send samples to lab and have tested.

Soil samples have been sent out as well as blood samples on a select few cows, heifers, calves and the bull. I'm not sure when the results will be in.

Have an attorney contact the company who owns the tank. In addition contact their insurance company.

Can't afford an attorney and I'm not one to threaten to sue over just anything. I know one heifer can turn into more but...

They will clean up their mess and probably purchase your herd from you at a premium price, just to shut you up.

Been told the tank has been abandoned for more than a several years. And the company is no longer in business. Go figure...I don't want bought out, I just don't want to loose any more cattle.

I understand it is a touchy subject with the EPA. This is not a prime piece of pasture, actually a piece of swamp. Cattle were in the field exactally 30 days when the heifer died. Ironic, maybe? I figure if I'm going to lose another it would have or should have been by now.
Oh, BTW vet appologized for not comming out when I called. Said he should have known better than that. Especially since I only call him for something I can't handle, which knock on wood hasn't been much in the past several years.

Thanks for the advise and I'll let you know what the tests turn up.

 

[SF]

It is a real shame these companies are able to just abandon their old tanks, pipelines, and other equipment. I hunt on about 2500 acres out in west Texas. Several oil wells on this property. Lots of old abandoned equipment and pipelines. [/list]

 

[jerry27150]

previous owners of co. should still be liable

 

[jerry27150]

talk to a lawyer, most will take a case like that for a portion of what they think they can get

 

[Ryder]

Jerry is right. Lawyers here will usually charge about a third of what they get for you. If they sue and lose, you are not out anything. Although check to see if there is an initial consultation fee.

You need to follow up to make sure you are protected as the land owner in case anything comes up about your land in the future. For instance, if you should sell the land and something comes up about this problem-you don't want to be the one liable for a big clean up bill.

These are my thoughts, but I am certainly no expert.

 

[Medic24]

Well, I am so sorry to hear of the loss, I think i know what your saying her, BUT, it boils down to who OWNS the property the tank is on now... so many times, have we seen new owners around here get stuck with a EPA superfund site, and no idea it was even a problem..... they are the poor losersin the whole mess as well as any neighbors, such as you! :cboy: .

 

[certherfbeef]

Here is a bit of an update:

Company that bought out the origional company is comming out to remove the tank and all the lines on wednesday. They claim it is just salt water that is leaching out of the tank. They will not pay for the heifer because there was no post done and they are "sure" that is NOT what killed her. Blood tests still not back on the rest of the herd...sure glad they put a rush on it for me.
They have however, taken soil samples and water samples (just like I did) and they mentioned that I ought to be tight lipped about it so as to not get my field dug up. Which I understand would be at their expence. So, you all know as much now as I do.
I guess I'm lucky they even answered the phone when I called. Hopefully they don't make too much mess getting the tank out of there.

 

[SF]

... They will not pay for the heifer because there was no post done and they are "sure" that is NOT what killed her...

You need an attorney to call them for you. They will pay. It is cheaper for them to buy the heifer than to defend themselves in a lawsuit that they will surely loose.

....they mentioned that I ought to be tight lipped about it so as to not get my field dug up. Which I understand would be at their expence...

:lol: I'll bet they do want you to be tight lipped about it. Not only would they have to dig up your field, but they will have to dispose of the dirt and bring in new dirt. Their cost to clean up this mess is much more than your heifer.

Your choice, but I'm sure they will pay for the heifer, they just may need a little convincing. If they make a mess cleaning up the place, make them clean up their mess.

I'm going to say it again, you need an attorney involved in this with you. If you don't want to spend the money on one for advice and a few phone calls, then hire one on contigency. You need to protect yourself from them. Don't let them push you around.

At a time when oil companies are making record profits, and a tank of diesel for my pickup is costing me $65.00 two to three times per week, I don't have much pity for oil companies.

 

[Dusty Britches]

They want you to be "tight lipped", uh?

Amazing how fast they decided to come out and remove the tank.

If your herd's blood comes back with toxic chemicals, you may be forced to "liquidate" your assets. In Texas, Animal Health may seize your herd to prevent you from selling them at the sale and have them wind up in the food supply.

I recommend you get an attorney that specilizes in environmental issues. It may prevent you a third of the settlement, but in the long run, you'll come out of it better - heath wise and financial wise.