Mysterious deaths of healthy cows leave Texas ranchers worried for their herds

Ranchers in Axell, Texas are raising the alarm after a spate of unexplained deaths among their cattle , leaving many worried about their herds. Local rancher Kent Mathis, who has been raising cattle since he was 15, is baffled after losing three of his 19 cows in just one month.

"The first one was probably a month ago... and then the second one was like a week after that. And then two weeks ago I had another one pass away," Mathis recounted. He continued: "I mean I've had cattle ever since I was 15 years old, and I have never lost cows."

His concerns grew when he learned that his neighbor also lost two cows and discovered other local farmers facing similar losses. "The neighbor around the corner lost four, and then the friend up the road lost one, and then the other person over at Leroy he lost one," shared Mathis , reports KWTX.

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Realizing the issue was affecting several ranchers, Mathis contacted Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for answers. Mathis suspects the recent heavy rain and flooding could be to blame, with runoff contaminating the creek that feeds into his cattle's drinking pond.

"When it rains and it storms a whole lot, the water comes through the creek right here," he said. "It just overflows from the highway and from the fields next to me and stuff." The cause of the cattle deaths remains a mystery as investigations continue.

Mathis has stated that until the cause is confirmed, they are unable to take measures to protect the remaining cattle. Each cow is valued at approximately two thousand dollars, making the loss of even a single one a significant blow to ranchers with smaller herds.

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"When you lose three of them like I did, it kind of really hurts and frustrates you," he expressed. "If I lost some more, I would be really devastated." Representatives from the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service visited the area to inspect the deceased cattle and search for clues to the cause.

However, they informed KWTX that they were unable to find anything conclusive and will need to conduct further tests, which could take time.

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