Lightning Strike Kills 52 Cows

Lightning Strike Kills 52 Cows

news.sky.com

Newspaper El Pais reported that the cows had pressed themselves against a wire fence during a storm when the lightning bolt struck in the northern Uruguayan state of San Jose.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This seems very stange to me, 52 cows all get killed at the same time. I live in the country side and for the last 30 years or so ,when ever I have seen cows in fields they are always spread out, unless they are feeding.
If they were trying seek protection during bad weather, then why go to a fence. If they all did then why did all 52 of them touch the fence and all die?
I can it happening to a few but 52 cows in one go?
you would have thought at least a few would have been ok.I have to say,they did'nt say how many in total were there, but it's still strange if you ask me.

news.sky.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 9/11/08 by freemindmine]

Well, that certainly is a strange incident.

I'm at a loss to think of what could have made 52 cows defy their instinct to stay away from the electric fence, all at the same time... and coincidentally, right at the same time of a lightning strike.

Wah... I believe in coincidences... but this is a little extreme.


Aimless theory: Perhaps stray current due to opposing charges induced by the storm herded the cattle toward the electric fence, the electric fence being in a charged state, the stray current would be repulsed to anywhere but near the electric fence.
The cows would likely have felt the charge in the ground, and attempted to go to the one place where the stray charge wasn't... the electric fence.
Hence, this may be why all 52 cows rushed the fence at once, and got there at the incident of the lighting strike... basically, the cows touching the fence grounded the fence, and provided an easy path for the lightnings charge to get to ground.

So, to recap on my theory, which is mine...


1. Standard differing charges pool both in the atmosphere and the ground.

2. The electric fence repelled the pooled charge in the farmers field, being like charged itself.

3. The cows felt the charge in the ground, likely playing pins and needles with the nerves in their feet, and so the 52 cows scrambled to get away from the feeling.

4. The cows felt the feeling less near the electric fence, as the electric fence had a similar charge to it, repelling the pooled charge in the farmers field.

5. The cows got closer and closer to the electric fence, as the differing pooled charges grew stronger, which occurs just before a lightning strike.

6. One or more of the cows made contact with the electric fence in the frenzy, and connected the electric fence to ground via the cows body.

7. The pooled charge in the ground now has an amazing lightning rod to connect the pooled charge in the ground, to the opposing pooled charge in the atmosphere.

8. Lightning, from atmosphere, to fence, from fence through cows, to ground.

9. 52 cows herded together with a rather strong smell of BBQ.

Sounds like the best excuse ever to invite all your neighbors over for a barbeque

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