Law enforcement officials issued an alert after cattle were found killed and mutilated in both Missouri and Kansas.
- 12/18/15 Bull killed and mutilated- Newton, Kan.
- 12/28/15 Two cows killed and gutted-Platte County, Mo.
- 1/1/16 Cow killed and eyeballs removed- Canton, Kan.
A week after someone killed two cows on a Platte County ranch; police said no arrests had been made.
The two cows taken from Wayne Steinmeir’s Northland ranch both had new calves.
“They would not leave their babies and their babies were hunkered down so that was the one who they shot, they got the mommas that were standing by their babies,” Steinmeir explained.
RELATED| Rancher finds cattle slaughtered, offers reward
The Harvey County Sheriff told people to be vigilant and install surveillance cameras after a bull was killed in December.
“Not by animals, but it appeared that it had been surgically removed. So that heightened us a little bit,” Sheriff T. Walton said.
On New Year’s Day, a John Shearer found his cow killed and the eyes removed.
“We saw the blood on the head and then when we pulled up there we saw the eye had been removed as well as the eyelashes and eyebrows on the top and bottom both,” Shearer explained.
There's no indication these incidents are related but that doesn't make a difference to those who lost their livestock and income.
Steinmeir said, “Try to find these people. Find out who's doing it. It's not only me, there are other ranchers here in the community too and around. I've got an idea that's not the first time they poached.”
There are rewards offered for information on these killings-- $5,000 in the case of an arrest and conviction.
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Shannon Halligan can be reached at shannon.halligan@kshb.com.
