A Sudden Flash: Missouri Farmer Loses Entire Herd in Rare Lightning Strike
Something about the scene didn’t sit right. Missouri farmer Jared Blackwelder had gone out expecting to bring in his dairy cows for evening milking, but instead stumbled upon a chilling sight—32 animals lying lifeless in a heap,
as if they had fallen all at once. While locals pointed to the thunderstorm that had rolled through earlier that day, some couldn’t shake the eerie question: was it truly nature’s wrath, or was there more to this devastating event?
Thunder and lightning are common in Missouri’s springtime, often bringing heavy rain and flooding that disrupt daily farm life. On a Saturday morning in Springfield, dairy farmer Jared and his wife Misty heard the familiar rumble of storms while tending their herd. At first, it seemed like routine weather, nothing out of the ordinary.
But when Jared returned that evening to round up the cattle for milking, he was met with heartbreak.
All 32 of his dairy cows were dead, collapsed together on the mulch near their pasture.
“He went out to bring them in, and that’s when he discovered them,” said Stan Coday, president of the Wright County Missouri Farm Bureau, in an interview with CBS News. “Lightning strikes happen, but what makes this case so unusual is the sheer number of cattle lost in one instant.”
A veterinarian later confirmed that lightning was the cause of death. It is believed the cows had huddled near trees for shelter as the storm passed directly overhead, making them vulnerable to the fatal strike.
Coday, who has experienced livestock losses due to weather himself, emphasized the vulnerability farmers face. “You’re at the mercy of the weather,” he said.
For Blackwelder, the loss carried far more than financial weight.
“They’re not just animals, and while they’re not pets, dairy cattle are different,” he told the Springfield News-Leader. “You see them twice a day, every day. I raised every single one of them. It knocks you hard.”
Financially, the blow is staggering. Each certified organic cow is valued between $2,000 and $2,500, putting the total loss near $60,000. Though Blackwelder carries insurance, he admitted uncertainty over whether such a rare event would be covered.
Many farmers, Coday explained, don’t insure their herds—making losses like this even more devastating. “If you lose a cow, you’ve lost everything.”
He also noted the grim reality that the dead cattle couldn’t be salvaged for meat. “Those animals had been lying there for hours. They were damaged and would never be fit for human consumption.”
Missouri’s generally mild climate means many farms, including Blackwelder’s, don’t maintain barns for dairy herds, leaving them more exposed during sudden storms.
Conclusion
What seemed like a routine spring thunderstorm turned into an unprecedented disaster for the Blackwelder farm—wiping out an entire herd in a single lightning strike. This tragedy underscores not only the deep emotional bonds farmers develop with their animals but also the severe financial risks of livestock farming in regions prone to sudden storms.
While nature’s fury can be unpredictable, this heartbreaking loss is a stark reminder of just how fragile a farmer’s livelihood can be—and how quickly everything can change in the flash of lightning.