16 cows lost to lightning; farmer estimates $24k loss

He made the tragic discovery at 5 a.m. Monday morning when he was in the field gathering his cows for milking. Beneath a small cluster of trees lay the corpses of 15 cows. Another was lying on the ground just across the nearby stream. Most were lying on their sides.

"It's the wildest thing I've ever seen," Pope said.

Evidently the cows took cover beneath the trees during the storm, but there is no apparent tree damage to suggest lightning hit a tree first.

Pope and his father, the late Howard Pope, operated the dairy on Kings Road for 32 years. This is the first time lightning has ever struck the herd.

Cows that died included Jersey, Holstein and cross breeds. They ranged in age from two and a half to four years. Pope valued the 16 cows at $24,000, including seven heifers he raised from babies.

"This is the first time anything like this has happened to me," Pope said. He has 75 cows remaining in his herd.

University of Georgia state climatologist Dr. David Stooksbury said a lightning strike like this is not all that common in the Southeast.

"It's more common west of the Mississippi," he said.

It does occur, however, because cows congregate together. Because the ground is wet, it can carry an electrical charge further than normal, which might explain how the cow across the creek was included.

This is a reminder to heed the dangers of lightning.

"Mom was right. During a storm, you don't want to be under a tree – or near a post, a metal fence or the tallest object around," Stooksbury said. Every five seconds between lightning seen and thunder heard indicates one mile.

He recommends everyone follow the 30/30 rule for lightning safety outdoors.

"If between the point you see lightning and hear thunder less than 30 seconds passes, you need to take shelter immediately. The second part of 30/30 means stay in the shelter 30 minutes past the last thunder you hear," he said.

"It may seem extreme, but the first rule means you're within six miles of lightning and it can go as far as 10 miles from a storm," he added. Thirty minutes may seem like a long time, but a second storm can often follow a first.

When thunderstorms are in the area but not overhead, the lightning threat can exist even if it is sunny at a location.

When lightning strikes near a cow, the current spreads through the ground, which carries an electrical current even further when wet. The current can travel through a cow's mouth if it is eating grass or through its legs.

Pope has called on a friend to bring a bulldozer to help bury his cows.

"It's going to be a deep hole, like digging a basement," he said.

He contacted a UGA veterinarian the morning he discovered the cows and plans to contact the agriculture department. He hopes to talk with commissioner Tommy Irvin about the incident.