Minn. Farmer Cited After 22 Dairy Cows Found Dead

RACINE, Minn. (AP) — Mower County authorities say 22 dairy cows have been found dead in a barn of apparent starvation, and a farmer has been cited.

Mower County Attorney Kristen Nelsen says the animals were found in February, but the citation wasn't issued until last week because of "extenuating circumstances" involving the owners.

Sheriff Terese Amazi says the 52-year-old man and his 75-year-old father were in a serious car crash recently. Both were too injured to care for the cows, but Amazi says the man was cited because he didn't try to seek help for them.

Two cows that survived have been permanently placed at another farm.

Amazi says authorities first received a tip about the animals during a blizzard on Feb. 20 but deputies couldn't immediately get to the farm to check it out.