In Texas, six cows were found without their tongues and with the hide on one side of their lips removed. No trace of blood could be seen.
On Wednesday, NBC News reported that deputies in Madison County were at a loss to explain the deaths of six cows.
According to the sheriff’s office, the creatures were spotted all the way from Madison County to Brazos County to Robertson County in Texas along State Highway. There was just one of each species from each habitat.
One of the six animals was only a year old. Officials said that a circular incision was used to remove the genitalia and anuses from two of the cows, with the same “precision” as the incisions along the jaw lines.
After finding a longhorn-cross cow that was six years old and had passed away, farmers in Texas reported five deaths to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
All six bodies were located in relatively undisturbed grass. No evidence of a fight, such as boot or car tracks, could be found.
An official statement from the sheriff’s department reads, “Ranchers also said that no animals or birds would eat the cow’s remains, so it was left to rot for several weeks.”
Also, according to the authorities, similar discoveries were made in other parts of the country. The sheriff’s office is presently conducting an investigation into the matter and is working in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies.
The Associated Press reported in 2019 that officials in Oregon found five dead bulls with their mouths cut off and genitalia removed. Whether or if the underlying reasons of death were ever identified is unknown.