Cattle mutilation refers to the killing and harming of cattle in unusual or strange ways, often without much blood. Parts that are sometimes taken include the ear, eye, jaw, tongue, lymph nodes, and other body parts. Reports of these incidents started in the late 1960s and continued through the 1980s. During this time, many studies were conducted in the United States to investigate these events.

Some of these injuries can be explained by natural processes, such as how bodies break down over time or by predators eating the cattle. However, there is evidence that some of the deaths may have been caused by organized groups. Some people also believe that groups, aliens, or unknown creatures (like the chupacabra) might be responsible, though these ideas are not proven.

Overview

Reports of cattle mutilations began in 1967, and by 1973, groups of mutilations were being reported. While many of these events can be explained by natural causes, several pieces of evidence suggest that some cattle mutilations during the 1970s and 1980s may have been caused by humans. Laboratory tests showed that some animals had been given drugs that make them sleepy. People reported seeing unknown flying objects near the sites, which made sounds similar to a quiet lawn mower. Some cattle were found with marks that glowed when exposed to bright light, indicating that certain animals were chosen before the procedure. In later years, it was discovered that stealth helicopters were developed and used starting in the early 1970s. Authors in the 21st century have suggested that these mutilations might have been related to secret efforts to monitor health threats or test new weapons.

Early history

The earliest recorded event of unexplained livestock deaths happened in early 1606 near London and nearby areas. Many sheep were killed, with some places losing up to 100 sheep. Only the sheep’s fat and some internal organs were taken, while the rest of the bodies and wool remained. People had many guesses about the cause, but most believed it might be related to fireworks. This event was recorded in the official documents of King James I of England. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Charles Fort collected reports of cattle injuries in England.

Unexplained livestock deaths were rare until 1967, when a newspaper called the Pueblo Chieftain reported a story about a horse named "Snippy" that was found badly injured in Alamosa, Colorado.

On September 9, 1967, Agnes King and her son Harry discovered the body of their three-year-old horse. The horse’s head and neck had been removed, and the body showed cuts that looked very precise to King. Harry said there was no blood at the scene, and a strong medicine-like smell was present.

The story was shared widely by other newspapers across the country. This was the first case where people suggested that aliens or unidentified flying objects might be connected to the injury. An investigation by Wadsworth Ayer for the Condon Committee concluded that there was no proof the horse’s death was caused by anything unusual.

Alamosa County Sheriff Ben Phillips believed the death might have been caused by lightning and did not visit the site. Early news reports incorrectly called the horse "Lady," but Snippy was actually Lady’s father and belonged to Berle Lewis, Nellie’s husband. Later reports said the horse had been shot in the rump. However, two students from Alamosa State College later admitted to sneaking out to shoot the horse several weeks after the case was publicized.

Cattle mutilations 1973–1980

Many reports of cattle mutilations were made in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, and New Mexico.

In April 1973, sheriffs in Western Iowa reported that unidentified helicopters were involved in cattle and pig theft. In August, similar thefts were reported in Missouri, and authorities warned farmers not to shoot at helicopters.

On June 10, 1973, Cloud County Sheriff Fred Modlin warned the public about a series of phone calls from a caller claiming to be a USDA official conducting a survey of herd population and locations. After the USDA denied such a survey, Modlin suggested the calls might be from rustlers.

On June 14, a 700-pound heifer was found dead on the Ray Vizner farm near Munden, Kansas. Its right ear had been removed, and its right rear quarter was butchered. Republic County Sheriff Bob Blecha stated the death was not caused by predators. Two weeks later, on June 18, a second dead cow was found on the Lowell Darcy farm, 20 miles from the first. Like the first, its right ear had been removed. Local news first suggested the killings might be the work of a "Mad Dog" or "phantom" butcher. On August 9, a third dead cow was found in South County. On August 30, a fourth dead cow was reported on the Larry LeBlanc farm south of St. Joseph in Cloud County. Its right ear had been removed again.

On October 25, three cows in Harvey County were found with their sex organs removed. On November 15, news reported a dead cow on the Don Peter farm near Munden, the seventh animal death linked to the "butcher." The November 22 issue of the Belleville Telescope again mentioned the "Mad Dog Cattle Butcher."

On December 4, 1973, law enforcement, including Modlin, reported a wave of cattle deaths in seven counties across Kansas and Nebraska. Sexual organs were reported to have been removed. A meeting to discuss the mutilations was planned. On December 6, a killing on the Lavern Hiner farm in Cloud County was reported as the butcher’s ninth. By December 13, Kansas law enforcement reported investigating 40 mutilations, most near US Highway 81. On December 20, State Senator Ross Doyen reported a cattle mutilation on his ranch.

On December 22, the Kansas Brand Commissioner’s office concluded that most deaths and removal of sex organs were due to natural causes, including predation, "shipping fever," and blackleg. Modlin and others disagreed with this conclusion and denied that local ranchers would mutilate dead animals for insurance money, calling them "honest and respectable."

Reports resumed in April 1974 when a Nebraska cow was found mutilated and drained of blood. That month, the North American Newspaper Alliance covered the 1973 mutilations and sightings of unidentified helicopters.

In May 1974, two mutilations were reported in Mills County, Iowa. An AP story suggested coyotes were responsible. By June 1974, mutilations were reported in Lancaster County, Nebraska. Custer County reported similar helicopter sightings and armed patrols. On August 14, 1974, the Cascade County, Montana Sheriff’s Office received its first report of a mutilated cow.

On August 20, news reported a "new twist" in the mutilations: A helicopter had been seen hovering 400 feet above a field near Agnew, Nebraska, days before a mutilated cow was found. The helicopter was reported shining a spotlight into the field. The FAA and National Guard said they had no knowledge of helicopters operating in the area. Knox County Sheriff Herbert Thompson reported that armed civilians had begun patrols due to repeated helicopter sightings. Cloud County Attorney William Walsh mentioned a jailhouse informant who claimed to be a former cult member and suggested the mutilations might be linked to devil-worshiping cultists. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Brand Inspectors leaned toward predators as the cause. Amid cattle mutilation concerns and drought, Oakland, Nebraska, experienced a surge of "beast" sightings as residents feared an unknown noisy nighttime animal. State Sen. John Decamp urged authorities to coordinate an investigation into the mutilations. By August 28, 25 mutilations had been reported across five Nebraska counties.

On August 28, news reported that a rancher near Hartington may have stopped a mutilation in progress when he saw a helicopter above his field. A neighbor called the sheriff, and all three reportedly saw the helicopter and a car shining a spotlight into the field. The next morning, a dead cow was found near the helicopter’s location, but it had not been mutilated. Authorities warned the public not to shoot at aircraft. On September 5, it was reported that authorities ordered helicopters to fly above 1,000 feet after a commercial helicopter was shot during a power line inspection.

On September 11, an apparently-mutilated cow was found to have died of natural causes, specifically a bacterial infection. This was the third such case disproven by authorities, according to the University of Nebraska’s Department of Veterinary Science. On September 17, over 50 law enforcement officials from 24 counties met at the Knox County Courthouse in Center, Nebraska, to discuss the mutilations. Participants dismissed the cult theory and estimated that out of 80 cow deaths under review, about 27 were suspected mutilations.

On September 19, news reported three cases of alleged mutilations in South Dakota: two in Moody County and one in Lake County. Patrols were organized, and farmers were told to check their herds every 12 hours. On September 30, papers reported an unusual cow death where the animal was shot, incised, and set on fire with fuel oil. Unlike other cases, body parts were left on site, and no parts were taken.

In the September 30, 1974, issue of Newsweek, the magazine became the first national outlet to cover the ongoing mutilation story. Its report stated 100 cattle had been mutilated in Nebraska, Kansas, and Iowa since May.

On October 2, 1974, South Dakota Attorney General Kermit Sande told the press that mutilations had been reported in the state. Mutil

Later incidents

Since the 1967 Snippy incident, many cases of harm have been reported worldwide, mainly in the Americas and Australia. In South America, about 3,500 incidents have occurred since 2002, when around 400 were reported. Experts believe that only about one out of every ten cases are reported to authorities.

In 1993, photos were found of a male human body that had been harmed and was discovered near the Guarapiranga reservoir in São Paulo, Brazil, in 1988. The victim’s identity was not made public. Some people believed the harm was caused by a criminal act, while others suggested unusual theories, such as alien involvement, due to similarities with animal injuries linked to UFOs. An autopsy report stated the injuries happened while the person was alive, and the pain caused their heart to stop. However, a separate study later concluded the person died from natural causes.

Characteristics

Cattle deaths caused by natural reasons are very common. In Minnesota, where unusual cattle deaths first began, almost 2 million cows were lost in 1973. That year, ranchers reported many strange deaths. These deaths were marked by missing body parts, including sex organs, udders, tongues, anus, rectum, and sometimes ears or eyes. The cuts on the animals were described as "clean" and "surgical." Some animals were found with no blood near their wounds or around their bodies, even though they had been drained of blood.

According to Howard Burgess, about 90% of the mutilated cattle were between 4 and 5 years old. In some cases, strange marks or imprints were found near the sites of the deaths. In one famous case called "Snippy," there were no tracks found within 100 feet (30 meters) of the dead cow, even the horse's own tracks disappeared. However, small holes were found in the ground and two bushes were completely flattened. In Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, in June 1976, a trail of suction cup-like impressions was found leading from a dead cow. The impressions were in a three-point pattern, 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter, 28 inches (71 cm) apart, and disappeared 500 feet (150 meters) from the dead cow. Similar events were reported in the area in 1978.

Laboratory tests on some of the dead cattle showed unusual levels of vitamins or minerals in their tissues and the presence of chemicals not normally found in animals. However, not all mutilated cattle showed these changes, and the changes varied between animals. Because of the time between death and examination and the lack of information about the cattle, investigators often could not determine if these changes were connected to the deaths.

In one case, an 11-month-old bull was found with signs of classic mutilation, including missing sex organs and the rectum. The internal organs were not typical of normal death followed by predation. The liver and heart were white and mushy, with the texture of peanut butter. Samples of the heart, bones, and muscles were sent to the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory for study. The laboratory found naturally occurring Clostridium bacteria in the heart but could not confirm if the bacteria were present before or after death. No serious tissue changes were found in the heart.

Liver samples showed no copper and had four times the normal levels of zinc, potassium, and phosphorus. Scientists could not explain these results. Blood samples taken at the scene were light pink and did not clot after several days. The animal's hide was unusually brittle, and the flesh underneath was discolored. None of the laboratories could determine the cause of the blood or tissue damage. At one point, it was suggested that radiation might have been used to kill the animal, but later tests found anti-coagulants in other mutilated cattle, which led to the rejection of that idea.

On July 15, 1974, two unregistered helicopters were reported to have fired at Robert Smith Jr. while he was driving on his farm in Honey Creek, Iowa. This event followed reports of cattle mutilations in the area and nearby Nebraska. In August 1974, state leaders called for an investigation. Residents in Nebraska reported seeing unidentified helicopters shining lights into fields where mutilated cows were later found. Sheriff Herbert Thompson said helicopter sightings became common, but no clear connection was found between the sightings and the cattle deaths.

In New Mexico, police, tribal officers, and game wardens tried to track down mysterious aircraft near Dulce. The craft would move whenever officers used radios, leading them to switch to speaking Apache. This strategy worked, and officers surrounded the craft, which flew overhead. One officer heard a quiet sound, like a lawn mower. By 1975, some ranchers formed groups to patrol their fields at night. Authorities warned ranchers not to shoot at survey helicopters, and the National Guard told pilots to fly higher to avoid being shot at.

In 1976, two police officers in Utah reportedly confronted men in an unmarked U.S. Army helicopter at a small airport. After the encounter, cattle mutilations in the area stopped for about five years. This story was first reported in 2002.

On April 8, 1979, three police officers in Dulce, New Mexico, reported seeing a mysterious aircraft resembling a military helicopter near a site where 16 cows were reported to have been mutilated. Reports of helicopters have been used to explain why some cattle appeared to have been dropped from high places.

Official investigations

The New Mexico Livestock Board asked the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory for help. Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents secretly worked to learn more. Oklahoma created a group of people to look into the issue.

When more people started asking questions, federal officials began a full investigation into the strange cattle deaths.

In January 1975, the Minnesota office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) started its own investigation. Agent Donald Flickinger led the work and looked for links between groups and the deaths.

Flickinger found some strange events and clues, but not enough proof to show groups were involved. News reports said the investigation stopped because cattle deaths were not part of a plan to harm officials. During the work, Flickinger moved two prison informants to less-secure places, but both escaped later. Flickinger ended his investigation by Spring 1975.

In May 1975, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation began a new case under Carl Whiteside. Scientists studied 19 animals but found no clear answers. A $40,000 reward was offered. Helicopters had to stop flying in parts of Colorado. By December, the CBI looked into 203 reports of cattle deaths. The CBI ended its work in 1976 when reports dropped.

On June 13, 1976, New Mexico State Police started an investigation led by Officer Gabe Valdez, with help from Jim Dyad and Howard Johnston. Valdez asked Howard Burgess, a retired scientist, for help. On July 5, Burgess and Valdez found chemicals on cattle that glowed under special light.

On June 14, 1981, radar chaff was found near a dead cow on the Gomez ranch.

This work found some animals were given drugs before being harmed. It also said the methods used became more skilled over time. However, officers could not find who was responsible or why.

US Senator Haskell asked the FBI to help, but the FBI said it had no authority because the cases did not cross state lines. Instead, a state-funded investigation was led by New Mexico’s District Attorney.

In May 1979, a $44,170 grant (about $195,900 in 2025) from the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration funded a new study led by former FBI agent Kenneth Rommel. The study had five goals.

Rommel’s final report, published in June 1980, was 297 pages long. He wrote that about 10,000 cattle were harmed by 1979. The report said most cases were caused by animals like predators, but some were unexplained. The FBI could not find anyone responsible. Information about the study is now available through the Freedom of Information Act. Rommel said most experts believed the damage came from normal animals.

Gabe Valdez, who had studied many cases, told investigator Christopher O’Brien that during Rommel’s work, few real cases were reported. Valdez believed the people causing the harm moved to other areas. Rommel, who had worked on bank robberies, avoided looking at dead cows and let others do the work.

In Western Canada, many cattle were harmed. RCMP officer Lyn Lauber studied many cases. When Rommel’s report was shared, Lauber said he could not understand how Rommel made his claims without seeing real cases. He also said he did not believe Rommel would blame animals for the damage.

Conventional explanations

Cattle mutilations are a controversial topic with many possible explanations. These include natural causes, such as predators, or actions by unknown people. On April 20, 1979, C Hibbs from the New Mexico State Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory testified before a hearing led by Senator Harrison Schmitt. Hibbs explained that mutilations could fall into three groups: deaths caused by predators, injuries from pranksters or people with unusual behavior, or harm caused by sharp tools.

Many scientists, veterinarians, and agricultural workers have suggested that most mutilations result from natural causes, such as predator attacks, parasites, or scavengers. For example, missing or damaged mouth, lips, anus, and genitalia are often explained as the work of animals or insects. Missing eyes and soft internal organs are also attributed to natural processes. The absence of blood is sometimes due to the way animals decompose. Surgical-like cuts on the skin are often explained as the result of natural forces, such as swelling after death.

Experiments have tested these ideas. One study by the Washington County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Office placed a dead cow in a field for 48 hours. Over time, the cow’s body swelled, causing cuts on the skin that resembled surgical incisions. Blowflies and maggots also caused damage similar to what is seen in mutilated animals. Other experiments showed differences between cuts made by tools and those caused by natural processes.

Some ranchers argue that natural causes do not fully explain the mutilations. They note that many affected animals were healthy, strong, and not typical targets for predators. Others suggest that some mutilations may be the work of people with mental health conditions who enjoy harming animals.

In 1997, researcher Charles T. Oliphant proposed that some mutilations might be linked to secret studies on cattle diseases. Biochemist Colm Kelleher believed the mutilations were part of a government effort to track diseases like mad cow disease. He pointed out similarities between the organs removed in mutilations and those collected during wildlife disease monitoring. Kelleher also noted that sedatives and formaldehyde were found on some mutilated animals, matching methods used by disease experts.

In 2014, Greg Valdez, son of Gabe Valdez, wrote a book based on his father’s research. He stated his father never believed aliens were involved and instead suspected government activity. Valdez suggested the mutilations were part of a program to study the effects of radiation from an underground atomic test called Project Gasbuggy.

In the 1970s, a man named Edwards claimed the government was testing cattle parts for biological weapons. He wrote to a senator about his theory but was later fired from his job and disappeared. He reappeared in the 1990s under a new name and worked in education.

Supporters of the weapons test theory point to a 1968 event where 6,000 sheep were killed during chemical weapons testing. The U.S. Army denied responsibility until 1998.

Other explanations

Fringe theories about cattle mutilations have suggested that satanic cults, aliens, or mythical creatures might be responsible. Historian Michael J. Goleman has stated that conflicts between ranchers and the federal government may have led people to believe in these unusual explanations.

A theory similar to the one about individual wrongdoers suggests that organized groups may be responsible for the mutilations. Unlike the deviancy theory, which claims that individuals act alone and randomly, the cult theory argues that organized groups carry out the mutilations as part of planned rituals.

In July 1975, reporter Dane Edwards of the Brush Banner wrote about cattle mutilations and explored the idea that a cult was involved. However, when the source of the cult theory was traced to a federal prisoner and no cult members were found, ranchers and law enforcement began looking for other causes.

Supporters of the cult theory have different beliefs, but they often suggest that organized groups are behind the mutilations. This theory became popular in the U.S. during the 1970s and 1980s, a time when people were worried about cults and ritual abuse.

During this time, some reports described groups of people near mutilation sites. In September 1975, a forestry worker in Idaho saw a group in black hooded robes. The next day, cattle were found mutilated nearby. In October 1975, a driver on a highway in Idaho saw 15 masked people block the road.

Law enforcement in several states, including Alberta, Idaho, Montana, and Iowa, reported some evidence that cults might be involved. However, the FBI and ATF could not find proof that the mutilations were part of a ritual or organized effort. They also could not explain how or why a cult would perform the procedures that caused some unusual findings in animal examinations.

In many cases, the causes of the mutilations were not clear. Some were attributed to natural causes, and others were too decayed to study. Some claims about cults were later found to be false. For example, one case involved a prisoner who lied to get better treatment, and another involved high school students who spread rumors as a joke.

Since 1967, the Snippy case linked reports of unknown flying objects to UFOs and flying saucers. In 1974, farmers in Nebraska reported seeing UFOs on nights when their cattle were harmed. These sightings were considered evidence of extraterrestrial life by UFO researchers. In 1980, journalist Linda Moulton Howe made a film called A Strange Harvest, which claimed that aliens were connected to the mutilations based on information from a person named "Rick Doty."

A 2013 documentary called Mirage Men suggested that the U.S. military might have created stories about UFOs to hide secret projects. The book Mirage Men, published in 2010, describes a meeting in 1979 where government officials and UFO researchers discussed cattle mutilations. At the meeting, a highway patrol officer who was investigating the cases met a researcher named Paul Bennewitz.

By 1988, Bennewitz claimed his wife was controlling extraterrestrials. After he tried to block his home with sandbags, his family took him to a mental health facility, where he stayed for a month.

In 1989, UFO writer William Moore claimed he tried to make Bennewitz mentally unstable by giving him false information about aliens. This was confirmed by a declassified CIA document that said Moore and an Air Force officer named Richard Doty were part of a campaign to spread false information about Bennewitz.

In 1990, a book called Out There: The Government's Secret Quest for Extraterrestrials by Howard Blum described how government agents used fake documents to mislead Bennewitz.

Folklore has also linked cattle mutilations to mythical creatures like the chupacabra. In 1966, John Keel, the author of Mothman, studied animal mutilations in Ohio with another researcher, Ivan T. Sanderson.

In popular culture

In 1982, researcher David Perkins wrote a book called Altered Steaks. In 1984, Bantam Books published a book titled Mute Evidence, written by journalists Daniel Kagan and Ian Summers. In 2014, Christopher O'Brian wrote a book named Stalking the Herd.

The 1977 British television mockumentary Alternative 3 connected cattle mutilations to a fictional plan to move livestock to secret military bases on the Moon and Mars.

In the 1985 movie Spies Like Us, Dan Aykroyd plays a spy who pretends to be an alien to trick a Soviet missile crew. Aykroyd’s character tells a story about aliens from a silver disk who examined an ox. In the 1992 movie Sneakers, Aykroyd plays a person who believes in conspiracies and connects aliens to cattle mutilations. The X-Files episodes "Eve" and "Irresistible" mention cattle mutilations. In Dulce, New Mexico, and other places, people have added images of UFOs to signs that warn about cattle crossing roads. The 1997 first episode of South Park, titled Cartman Gets an Anal Probe, links UFOs and aliens to cattle mutilations. The 2022 movie Nope includes a flying saucer that feeds on livestock. The 2025 album Bloodless by Samia loosely uses the idea of cattle mutilations as a theme.