Cattle poisoned in Nebraska
Posted: Tuesday, January 06, 2004
ROYAL, Neb. (AP) -- Poisoning is being blamed in the deaths of 18 head of cattle in northeast Nebraska.
The dead and dying animals, including three calves, were discovered a week ago, veterinarian Randall Pedersen said. Pedersen concluded that ingestion of some type of insecticide led to the deaths.
A Kansas State University lab confirmed the cause of the deaths, but more tests are being done to determine the specific type of insecticide.
No insecticides had been sprayed on the field where the cattle had been grazing for two years, Pedersen said.
Authorities were trying to determine if the poisonings were accidental or intentional, Antelope County Attorney Mike Long said.
The cattle were owned by Fred Schultz, who had leased the stubble field for grazing from Antelope County Supervisor Jerald Schwager.
Last April, 250 head of cattle were poisoned in a feedlot north of Richland, which is about 60 miles west of Omaha and nearly 80 miles southwest of Royal.
Testing conducted by the state Department of Agriculture and Michigan State University showed those yearlings had ingested a pesticide. No one has been arrested in the April poisonings, although a reward of $16,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
The dead and dying animals, including three calves, were discovered a week ago, veterinarian Randall Pedersen said. Pedersen concluded that ingestion of some type of insecticide led to the deaths.
A Kansas State University lab confirmed the cause of the deaths, but more tests are being done to determine the specific type of insecticide.
No insecticides had been sprayed on the field where the cattle had been grazing for two years, Pedersen said.
Authorities were trying to determine if the poisonings were accidental or intentional, Antelope County Attorney Mike Long said.
The cattle were owned by Fred Schultz, who had leased the stubble field for grazing from Antelope County Supervisor Jerald Schwager.
Last April, 250 head of cattle were poisoned in a feedlot north of Richland, which is about 60 miles west of Omaha and nearly 80 miles southwest of Royal.
Testing conducted by the state Department of Agriculture and Michigan State University showed those yearlings had ingested a pesticide. No one has been arrested in the April poisonings, although a reward of $16,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.
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