18,000 cows die in a Texas dairy farm explosion fire

Apr 13, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

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An explosion at a Texas dairy farm has resulted in the largest single-incident loss of dairy cows on record. 18,000 cows died after an uncontrollable fire tore through the shelter.

The explosion at Southfork Dairy Farm in west Texas is being seen as a tragedy. Thousands of cows, waiting to be milked, were trapped inside holding pens as the fire spread.

The loss for the dairy farm is a significant one. It’s the largest loss of cows ever, according to animal advocacy group Animal Welfare Institute. The organization tracks barn and farm fires. The group says no other fire comes close to this size of a loss.

One dairy worker, who was trapped inside the facility, was rescued by firefighters and taken to the hospital. The Castro County judge offered praise for the local sheriff and fire rescue. Thankfully there was no loss of life in the explosion.

The United States Department of Agriculture has the price of a dairy cow estimating around $1,300 to $1,500 a piece. This would put the financial loss for the farm at around $30 million.

Tags: Agriculture, cows, U.S. Department of Agriculture

KARAH RUCKER: AN EXPLOSION AT A TEXAS DAIRY FARM HAS RESULTED IN THE LARGEST SINGLE-INCIDENT LOSS OF DAIRY COWS ON RECORD. 18,000 COWS DIED AFTER AN UNCONTROLLABLE FIRE TORE THROUGH ITS SHELTER.

THE EXPLOSION AT SOUTHFORK DAIRY FARM IN WEST TEXAS IS SEEN AS A SIGNIFICANT TRAGEDY AS THOUSANDS OF COWS, WAITING TO BE MILKED, WERE TRAPPED INSIDE HOLDING PENS AS THE FIRE SPREAD.

THE LOSS FOR THE DAIRY FARM IS A SIGNIFICANT ONE. IT’S THE LARGEST LOSS OF COWS EVER ACCORDING TO AN ANIMAL ADVOCACY GROUP ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE, AN ORGANIZATION THAT TRACKS BARN AND FARM FIRES. THE GROUP SAYS NO OTHER FIRE COMES CLOSE TO THIS SIZE OF A LOSS.

ONE DAIRY WORKER, WHO WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE FACILITY, WAS RESCUED BY FIREFIGHTERS AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CASTRO COUNTY JUDGE OFFERED PRAISE FOR THE LOCAL SHERIFF AND FIRE RESCUE, THANKFUL THERE WAS NO LOSS OF LIFE IN THE APRIL 10 EXPLOSION.

THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HAS THE PRICE OF A DAIRY COW ESTIMATING AROUND $1,300 TO $1,500 A PIECE. THIS WOULD PUT THE FINANCIAL LOSS FOR THE FARM AT AROUND $30 MILLION.