13 dairy cows killed by bolt

[senorpepr]

A single lightning strike is believed to have killed 13 prized dairy cows at Fernvale, west of Brisbane in Australia.

Dairy farmer David Potter said he believed the lightning hit a tree the Friesians were under and they were killed in a "chain reaction".

"There was two big claps of thunder and when I went to get the cows, there were 13 of them dead under the tree," Mr Potter said.

"You could see where the lightning had hit the tree. It's just one of them things.

"We've had storms through here before with lightning and never had anything like that happen before.

"I've never heard of anything like this. It's ... just unlucky - unlucky 13."
Mr Potter, who runs a farm of 300 milking cows, said the dead Friesians, all under six years-old, were uninsured.

He said they would cost up to $1000 each to replace.
The cows would have produced about 300 liters of milk a day but Mr Potter said he had no immediate plans to replace them.

Mr Potter said the cows' deaths added more pressure after having to battle drought, increased feed prices and low milk prices.

He said recent showers were welcome but more follow-up rain was needed.

"It doesn't go very far at all, the paddocks are that dry," he said.
"It's turned the grass around now but we need a fair bit more of it."