A massive animal slaughter. About 18,000 cows perished in an explosion at a Texas dairy earlier this week, according to local officials. The explosion occurred at South Fork Dairy, near the town of Dimmitt. Apart from cattle, there is also a man who was seriously injured.
Texas Dairy Explosion: Cattle Killed by Fire and Smoke
Investigations continue. Authorities believe machinery at the facility may have triggered a methane explosion. Nearly three million livestock died in fires in the United States between 2018 and 2021. The Castro County Sheriff’s Office said it received a report of a fire at the farm Monday evening.
Photos released by the sheriff’s office show a large cloud of black smoke rising from the ground. The police and emergency teams who came to the scene saw that a trapped person had to be rescued and his condition was severely hospitalized. The exact number of cows killed by fire and smoke is unknown, but investigators said BBC “an estimated 18,000 head of cattle” was lost.
Sheriff Sal Rivera said most of the cattle were lost after a fire broke out in a large barn where the cows were kept before being taken to the milking area. Many of the injured animals are in such a serious condition that they have to be slaughtered.
“It’s hard to imagine anything worse than being burned alive”
The Animal Welfare Institute in Washington said the deaths of 18,000 cows, if confirmed, would be the deadliest fire involving livestock since 2013 when statistics began to be kept. “We hope the industry continues to focus on this issue and encourage farms to take common sense fire safety measures,” says AWI Fellow Allie Granger. “It’s hard to imagine anything worse than being burned alive.”
Source: Today IT

Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.