Six cows were mutilated in similar ways and found in different locations along a Texas highway, prompting multiple law enforcement investigations, authorities said.
A 6-year-old cow was recently found dead, lying on its side and missing its tongue in Madison County near State Highway OSR, a sheriff’s office news release said, referring to a stretch of Old San Antonio Road.
“A straight, clean cut, with apparent precision, had been made to remove the hide around the cow’s mouth on one side, leaving the meat under the removed hide untouched,” the release said. “The tongue was also completely removed from the body with no blood spill.”
Officials said the grass around the cow was “undisturbed” and there were no signs of struggle, footprints or tire tracks in the area. Ranchers told law enforcement no predators or birds would scavenge the cow’s remains.
Five similar cow deaths, involving four adult cows and one yearling, have been reported along the area of OSR in Brazos and Robertson counties.
The cows were found mutilated in the same manner with the tongue removed and nothing noticeable in the surrounding grass, but each cow was found in a different location and belonged to a different herd.
Two of the cows also had their genitalia and anuses removed.
No cause of death has been determined in any of the six cases.
Similar incidents have been reported across the nation and deputies are working with other agencies to investigate, the release said.
Anyone with information on these cases can contact Madison County sheriff’s office investigator Foster at 936-348-2755.
