Cows starved to death

[Anonymous-0]

There was a ugly story is todays paper. In Oakley California, about 35 miles west of Stockton, the county animal control employees found 29 dead cows, starved to death. The other 121 in the herd were in such poor condition, that at the vets recommendation, a Superior Court Judge ordered them destroyed. I hope the owner gets some serious prison time.

 

[Larry59]

You wonder.. why would the owner not sale them before they reached such a point as death. That was a lot of cattle.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I also wondered that.

 

[Larry59]

The only other thing I might think could have happen. Was someone died and perhaps anyone left in charge had no real control and it was in probate court maybe.
For I use to live out that way in California. That area built up good with costly homes and so forth. Be interesting for someone to do a follow up on that story.

 

[Anonymous-0]

The paper said animal control had tried working with the owner for over 2 weeks and he was nonresponsive. I don't have a link however if you are interested just Google Contra Costa Times and search for cows. It is something that dosen't make sence. I am sure we will learn more. If you know the area it was near Bethel Island. The guy must have known how to build good fences, I am supprised all those new housing subdivisions didn't have grazing cows on their lawns. When I was a kid one of the neighbors constantly overgrazed his pasture and we forever had his cows in our wheat. By the way, those houses are not nearly as costly as they were 3 years ago.

 

[Joe(TX)]

Around here they would have seized the herd if there was any evidence of starvation before they started dying. The courts would sort it out later.

 

[Dandy Don]

121 cows to be killed due to malnutrition
OAKLEY: District attorney may file charges against owner after animals found dead or emaciated on property
By Scott Marshall
STAFF WRITER

Article Launched: 02/14/2008 03:09:16 AM PST


Related
Feb 9:
Authorities find dozens of dead, emaciated cowsThe owner of 29 cows found dead in three Oakley-area pastures last week has been ordered by a judge to transport another 121 emaciated animals found on the property for euthanization, county animal services officials said Wednesday.
Two-thirds of the surviving cows have already been removed -- a process that must be completed by Friday, said Dan Barrett, deputy director of animal services.

"We believe he is following the court's order," he said.

The cows were in such poor condition that they were "seized in place" because a veterinarian on the scene concluded that moving them would have caused undue stress, Barrett said.

In the meantime, the veterinarian and officers are working with the owner on how to properly feed the cows and are monitoring the progress of their removal, Barrett said.

"I'm pretty confident that he's going to be dealt with in the criminal justice system," Barrett said.

The investigation began with a tip and culminated after a two-week period in which the unidentified owner failed to respond adequately, Barrett said.

Authorities obtained three search warrants to allow for greater access to the properties and to help evidence collection.

A dozen officers and a veterinarian and technician spent much of last Thursday in three pastures at East Cypress and Bethel Island roads in an unincorporated area, Barrett said.

After the initial investigation, a judge ordered the cows be euthanized, he said. All of the cows had low


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scores on a scale used to calculate nutrition and some were emaciated.
The case could be sent to the district attorney's office as early as next week.

Reach Scott Marshall at 925-945-4782 or [email protected].

 

[kyplowboy]

We had a bad deal like that here last winter. An old man died and his nephew was suposed to be taken care of the cows, nephew was a head case. The place was back in the hills. Don't remember who found it but after the first of the year 20 or 30 were dead the other 60 were bout there. Hay was still setting in the field where the old man had bailed it before he died. No charges were filed, but nephew was orderd to get help.
Sad deal, mine don't look the best right now but they are far from dead.

Dave

 

[Anonymous-0]

We've had a couple cases like that here over the last couple years. Hobby farmers from the city both times, one decided that since they were on pasture he only needed to drive out from his house in the city every 3 weeks to check on them. Water pump quit 2 weeks too soon and most of them died before they managed to break down a fence. Other one the guy had seen in his livestock book that he only needed 2 bales of hay a day for the number of cows he had. Didn't notice the book was talking about round bales, he was feeding small squares. Apparently didn't know enough to realize they were starving and of course he wouldn't ask his hick neighbours, he knew better than them.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I can't imagine a "Hobby Farmer" having 150 head, or blowing off the animal control for 2 weeks.

 

[oscar80]

I know have seen some hobby farmers do that to horses. Within 6 months of buying them the horses we down to skin and bones. Would sometimes go days without there 2 scoops of grain a day and never and I mean never had any hay and the pasture was barren.

Dave

 

[KGleason]

I live in the area of the cows that were starved. They were in 3 different fields in a remote area of the county. An older man put them in the fields, never fed them and never checked on them. He planned to cash in this spring when he sold them for slaughter. Someone happened to be in the area, saw them,and called our local Animal Services. A judge ordered the owner to have them "humanely euthanized". Most people here thought that meant "put to sleep". We found out yesterday that the judges order read they were to be taken by the owner "to an appropriate livestock market/auction facility to be humanely euthanized". I assume this means they were sold for slaughter. Our county legal system and Animal Control Dept. are weak in this county. Very few cruelty offenders are actually prosecuted. Would someone on this site answer a question please, is livestock required to have food and water at all times in your county/state?Thanks

 

[Anonymous-0]

Have you heard the name of the guy yet ? A Dept Sheriff told me the man was a 3rd or 4th generation farmer rancher.

 

[KGleason]

(quoted from post at 22:04:27 02/16/08) Have you heard the name of the guy yet ? A Dept Sheriff told me the man was a 3rd or 4th generation farmer rancher.

I was told by Animal Services that they cannot release his name because he has not been charged yet. Do you live in Contra Costa County?
Visit the website www.claycord.com for more info and comments on this.
You can email our DA to request that this guy is prosecuted - and we will need that. This county is very lax in prosecuting cruelty.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I live in centeral Co Co county. Used to work a lot in the Pittsburg to Byron area. I agree about the DA, unless it is a sensational murder case from one of the rich subarbs, he won't do much. I was raised in the upper plains on a 300 head cow/calf operation. The cattle were sold a few years ago and I bought the farm from my parents a 3 years ago. I can retire in 2 years at 50, 150 cows would go a long way to rebuilding the heard. All that unnecessary suffering makes me ill.