Cattle Mutilations, Still No Explanation

The cattle mutilation and other strange events of the 1970s are resurfacing as six longhorn cows have been recently discovered dead and mutilated in Texas. Ranchers in three Texas counties have reported healthy cows being found dead under strange circumstances. The first cow discovered dead had its tongue removed with what law enforcement said was a straight, clean cut, with apparent precision. Additionally there was no pool of blood around the carcass, as one would usually find in a case like this, and the skin around the animal’s mouth on one side was also cut away in the same fashion. The time of death was unclear, yet no insect or scavenger damage was evident; its like they understood to avoid this kill.

Ranchers in several neighboring counties also reported finding a total of five additional carcasses, none were pastured together or part of the same herd. Two of those animals had their anus and genitalia removed with a precision circular cut around the area. Police have nothing to go on. There are no footprints, no tire tracks, or sign of struggle. In each case, the lack of a blood pool has raised questions.

This type of cattle mutilation has happened before, and has led to dozens of theories across the paranormal studies channel, including this website. The information that follows comes from an article that I published in 2016, updated to include any new information that has been discovered in the time since then.

Cattle mutilations

Historical Timeline – What We Know

During the 1970s thousands of cattle mutilation, as well as other livestock were reported across the nation. But what brought the FBI into the national investigation was the way the animals were slaughtered. Most of the carcasses were drained of blood, and many had their udders and genitalia surgically removed, and in some cases ears and inner organs were also removed and missing. One particular case focused on a calf. It’s eye was taken out with an advanced level of detailed precision, and the optic nerve was cauterized at the end. This type of accuracy elevated the case to something much larger than the typical incident. The prevailing theories connected to the mutilations focused on what many cite as some kind of alien experimentation. As far fetched as the theory might sound to some, it made more sense that the ones provided by law enforcement.

The FBI investigated 40 cases of cattle mutilation in the north-central part of Kansas, largely along Highway 81 in 1973. All the animals in this string of mutilations were killed in the same method. Their ears, tongues, genitals and udders were all neatly removed. No tracks were found and the animals were drained of blood, before the flesh carving began. In 1976, another cow in Kansas was found with one ear, udder and rectum cut away. A second was missing lips, tongue, part of its back and its sex organs. And yet another had the tongue cut out, along with both ears, rectum and tail removed in a circular cut, similar to the case being investigated currently. There also was a burn mark on the forehead as if the animal had been struck with something blunt. Burn marks of this type have been reported more than once. At a Colorado ranch, in 2009, 4 calves were found with their innards gone, tongues sliced out, udders carefully removed, facial skin sliced away and eyes carefully cored out. Just as in the current cases, the surrounding soil and remaining carcasses were devoid of blood. Reports are that not even a single drop was discovered. These animals were kept in pastures locked behind two gates and more than a mile from any road.

Mutilated Cow

Possible Explanations for the Cattle Mutilation

Pastured animal deaths are not uncommon. With predators, disease, and injury all being possible causes of accidental death. Yet the cattle mutilation deaths all have one thing in common. They are completely unnatural and the injuries are unexplainable by modern forensic science. The precision surgical cuts that completely expose the jaw bone and teeth, are found in almost every case. Some, but not all have the tongue and surrounding glandular tissue, genitals, and other body parts removed and no trace of these parts are ever found. Also there is a high percentage of glandular tissue around the anal area being surgically removed. Due to the fact that there is never any blood, death by a predator animal is ruled out as the cause of death. The cuts are made with a very high level of skill and appear to be done with a laser or plasma knife. But by far, the strangest part of every case is the lack of tracks, prints, or tire marks. Nothing land based came near those animals, lending credibility to the theory that they were killed by something airborne.

If the futuristic surgery wasn’t enough, radiation levels around the carcasses are higher than normal and some have what could be radiation burns. Neither scavengers nor insects touch those carcasses, which in highly unnatural. In an attempt to put the public at ease, government scientists state the cattle mutilation events are not mutilations at all, and the disturbing sights are the cause of predators. Since predators and scavengers will attack soft tissues, or vulnerable areas first, they claim the injuries are completely normal. Soft spots are the eyes, anus, and mouth area. They also claim the disappearance of the mouth, lips and genitalia may be due to dehydration. Yet, none can explain the lack of blood and none will go one the record to defend their counter-theories.

Extra-Terrestrial, Cult Activity, or Government Cover-Up

Although very few UFO sighting have been reported around the areas, there are multiple reports of aircraft close to the events. Witnesses report strange unmarked black helicopters flying low and acting suspicious. This has led many to believe the government is conducting biological weapons tests or worse, and there have been reports of military assets being fired upon by angry ranchers. Others believe the killings are cult-related, with body parts and blood being spirited away for demonic rituals. A small group believes they are being killed by cryptids, such as werewolves.

Filmmaker, Linda Moulton Howe, is considered the top researcher on the subject. She has investigated more than 1,000 cases of cattle mutilation cases which occurred in the 1970s. She produced an award winning documentary called A Strange Harvest, in 1980. Her analysis has led her to conclude that the mutilations were done by extraterrestrials.

The recent cattle mutilation in Texas is the first one in many years, and it will no doubt reignite the debate. More people today believe in the existence of aliens than every before. Add that to the distrust of government source on the subject, the degree of doubt is large. Not everyone is ready to claim the mutilations are the results of aliens doing animal experiments, but without any other plausible explanation, what are we to believe? The biggest takeaway is that the circumstances and similarities to the recent mutilations and the ones from 50 years ago are uncanny. There are no witnesses, there is no blood at the scene, no tracks, and no pattern to the events.

If aliens are making visits to the ranches across America, what are the looking for? Are they taking the organs and glands to research the pesticide levels in our animals in an attempt to understand our environment? Perhaps a molecular review of what minerals are found in the soil and grasses and available to the animals through digestion? A look for toxic substances? Or on the darker side, are they looking for a nutritional source to feed a forthcoming invasion force? Or is the blood being tested as a fertilizer or fuel source? At this point, nothing is off the table, and the people in charge aren’t telling us enough to stop the theories from developing. The questions remain unanswered but the mutilations continue.

This article was originally published, June 10th, 2016. It was updated April 23rd, 2023, by the original author to include new information.