Dairy Farm Vandals Set 100’s Of Cows Loose In Clinton

Police are looking for those responsible for setting hundreds of cows loose from a dairy farm in Clinton.

According to the Portland Press Herald, Police don't believe the vandals intended to injure the animals when they set them loose. Still, one of the cows fell in a drainage hole and broke its neck. The value of the cow is about $2,500, but the farm's owner says the value of a lifetime of milk production would be worth much more. Officials think the vandals are teens to young adults, but say that some of the damage done indicates that they have some knowledge of the dairy industry.

The incidents happened sometime late at night on November 29th, or very early the next morning. Someone let about 150 dairy cows loose from a pen at the Misty Meadows Farm. They were discovered by farm workers, who were able to corral them back in the pens. Then, an hour or so later, someone released 500 cows from a pen that had to be dealt with by the next shift of workers.

In addition to the cows, stainless steel cooling tanks for milk and cream were turned off overnight, which could have resulted in about $10,000 worth of spoiled product. Luckily, the workers noticed it and turned them back on in time. But police say the tanks aren't turned off easily, so the vandals must have had some knowledge of the industry. The vandals then went to the Wright Place Farm, where they moved farm equipment around and shot out some streetlights, likely with a BB gun stolen from Misty Meadows Farm.

Anyone with information about these incidents are urged to contact the Clinton Police Department at (207) 426-9192.