GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) - A man is facing animal cruelty charges in central Montana after 230 cows were found starving in the middle of calving season, including 65 that were found dead.
Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter and his staff learned of the starving black Angus herd after people who drove by the property reported seeing the dead cows, the Great Falls Tribune reported Tuesday.
The property is located about 40 miles southwest of Great Falls, Montana.
The Cascade County sheriff’s office, public works and the state Department of Livestock responded to the scene Tuesday to remove carcasses and feed the surviving animals.
The land is “grazed down to the dirt,” Capt. Scott Van Dyken said, noting the animals had no available food.
“Some of these moms, you could walk right up to,” Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Quick said, adding that some of the surviving animals were pregnant. “They couldn’t get up they were so weak.”
The owner of the cows was taken into custody Tuesday after being charged with aggravated animal cruelty, Cascade County Attorney Josh Racki said.
Racki also said he planned to file an animal welfare petition to seize the herd and possibly be reimbursed for county funds spent on the animals care, which is estimated to cost up to $100,000.
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