Stray Voltage Kills 100+ Cows

[Old Dog/New Tricks]

Link moved from anoyher site
I'm Electrican - I've seen some strange things but this takes the cake:

Here is a link to a jury trial last week.

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_297013343

It was not my case. The farmers are cousins of one of my best friends. The electric coop was a client before I went on the bench.

This is a new type of case around here, as discussed in the article.

The trial was two weeks long. Each side brought in their expert engineers. The jury decided in the farmer's favor and awarded 2.1 million.

Has anyone heard of similar problems in their part of the world?

 

[hillbilly beef man]

Never heard of this. Had a neighbor have 12 steers killed when the fence they were standing next to was struck by lightning.

 

[r and s peckman]

When I worked for the Dairy Herd Improvement Association in this area, one of the dairys had stray voltage. The cows would kick off the milkers and some refused to come in the barn. The problem was traced back to a bad ballast in one of the lights. I could not feel it but the cows did.

 

[TheBullLady]

I've also heard of similar problems, especially in older dairies in the midwest. I don't know of any producers that ever went to court, but I'm glad these folks did! It's a shame that many people with LEGITIMATE problems can't afford to sue a large corporation!

 

[john250]

Yes.
Next county over had a similar case about 15 yr ago. Utility paid a large settlement.

 

[VanC]

Seen 'em killed by lightning, but never the man-made variety.

 

[dun]

Two dairies win stray-voltage cases
David Baumgardner says he has been battling problems with stray voltage since his family moved to a dairy near Mount Vernon, Wash., in 1996. Last Friday, a Skagit County Superior Court jury decided in his favor and ordered utility company Puget Sound Energy to pay $1.1 million. For more from The Seattle Times, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/l ... cation=rss
And in Missouri, producer Steve Chapman and his family have struggled with stray-voltage on their Pierce City dairy since 1997. On Monday, a Newton County jury ordered New-Mac Electric Cooperative to pay the Chapmans a total of $2.1 million. For more from kshb.com, http://kshb.com/kshb/nw_local_news/arti ... 44,00.html
Dairy settles labor lawsuit