Buzz
During the 1970s, the occurrence of livestock and animal mutilations appeared to spread across a significant portion of the United States, as well as various regions in the Americas and Europe. While these incidents have persisted over time, there has been a noticeable rise in such cases from the late 1990s through the 2000s.
Despite extensive investigations, the true cause behind these precise, almost surgical mutilations remains a mystery. Speculations vary widely, from extraterrestrial and UFO involvement to satanic rituals and the actions of disturbed individuals seeking to harm animals. These cases are as intriguing as they are baffling. Below are ten recent examples from across the globe.
10. Calves Found Mutilated in Missouri, 2014
In July 2014, a Missouri rancher discovered the mutilated remains of one of his missing calves. During his routine herd count, he noticed a buzzard in one of his fields. Upon investigating, he found the calf being scavenged by the bird. The examination revealed gruesome injuries: the calf's internal organs had been precisely extracted, and its body was entirely devoid of blood, leaving only the hide and bones behind.
The rancher reported the incident to a local radio station, which subsequently informed MUFON. Fearing further losses, the rancher decided to sell all his calves after learning of similar mutilations affecting other cattle owners in the area. Reports indicated that one Missouri rancher had lost 15 calves to such mysterious attacks.
Interestingly, Missouri was on a 'UFO Alert Rating' of three during this period, signifying over 25 UFO sightings reported within a month. (UFO Alert Ratings range from one to five.) Data from that time also revealed that Missouri ranked fourth in the United States for the highest number of UFO sightings.
9. Over a Decade of Mutilations in Wales, 2001–Present
By 2013, the Animal Pathology Field Unit (APFU), which had been investigating animal mutilations in Wales for over a decade, publicly suggested that extraterrestrial beings might be behind these mysterious attacks.
Phil Hoyle from APFU has indicated that the organization is exploring the UFO link, partly due to the surgical precision of the injuries and the absence of blood at the scenes. Additionally, farmers reported seeing 'unusual lights' over their properties around the time of the mutilations, and some locals observed strange objects entering and exiting the sea.
Hoyle told The Western Mail, 'These are not the work of satanic cults. They are highly sophisticated—whether carried out by aliens, the military, or some secretive monitoring group, something extraordinary is happening.' He also noted that Wales, alongside the United States, is a focal point for these bizarre animal mutilations.
Among the incidents, a lamb was found dead in Beddgelert, Gwynedd, in 2001, with an inexplicable oval-shaped hole in its hip bone. In 2002, Brook Farm in Plwmp, Dyfed, lost six rams and six ewes in a single week, all bearing precise cuts to their jaws and tongues. In 2009, four ewes at Woodside Farm were found dead, with strips of their faces removed. The farmer reported that 15 to 20 of his ewes vanished annually.
8. Ongoing Mutilations in Colorado Since 1999
Tom Miller first observed unusual killings and mutilations of his livestock in 1999, continuing a family tradition of cattle farming in Colorado that spanned three generations. He reports that these mutilations have occurred consistently since then. Miller describes finding cattle with missing eyes, severed limbs, excised tongues, and even removed ears—all with surgical precision. In most instances, the animals' bodies were entirely drained of blood.
While skeptics suggest that natural predators are responsible, Miller rejects this idea. Although he admits uncertainty about the cause, he insists that predators are not to blame, telling the media, 'Predators don’t consume 11 pounds of blood and leave the carcasses untouched.'
Some researchers link cattle mutilations to UFOs and extraterrestrial activity, but investigator Chris O’Brien proposes a different theory. He believes the rise in mutilation cases since the late 1990s and 2000s stems from the Mad Cow Disease outbreak in England in 1996. O’Brien suggests that the affected animals, turned into fertilizer and shipped globally, may have prompted secret government testing to prevent another outbreak of the disease.
7. Weekend Mutilations in Argentina, 2014
In September 2014, Radio Amanecer, an Argentinian radio station, reported multiple instances of cattle mutilations believed to have occurred in May of that year.
One notable case in Reconquista, Santa Fe, hinted at unusual activity prior to the attack. The cow exhibited extreme distress on Friday, May 15, trembling and appearing disoriented. By Monday, May 18, the animal was found dead, bearing precise cuts to its face and jaw.
That same weekend, two other farmers reported similar findings. One incident occurred at Osvaldo Marega Farm in the Villa Ocampo district, while the other took place 20 kilometers (12 miles) away on land owned by the Miranda family in the Tartagal district. Both cases involved animals with identical surgical-like injuries.
Reports indicate that similar attacks have occurred in the area since early 2014, with no clear explanation for the gruesome injuries inflicted on the animals.
6. Unusual Summer of Animal Mutilations in Vancouver, 1990
Oregon State University examined the remains of five cattle found dead on Richard Fazio’s property and concluded that the injuries were caused by heat and aligned with electrosurgical techniques. This ruled out typical animal attacks or pranks as the cause.
The mutilations took place between June and October 1990 and displayed signs of advanced technology. Organs, eyes, and tongues were removed, with some body parts later found scattered in fields near the Columbia River. Neighbors reported hearing unusual sounds that summer, unlike typical farm machinery. One woman even claimed to see a small figure carrying a flashlight while running through a field one evening.
While the Vancouver mutilations seemed confined to the summer of 1990, a UFO sighting was reported nearly a decade later in February 1999 by forest workers near Mount St. Helens. They described seeing a metallic object lifting an elk into the air using what appeared to be an invisible beam. Witnesses noted that the elk rotated slowly in the air, as if deliberately turned by an unseen force.
5. UK Horse Attacks—Satanic Rituals or Secret Experiments Linked to EVH-1?
Between late 2011 and early 2012, several horses in the United Kingdom were found mutilated. While the injuries resembled those typically linked to UFO-related cattle mutilations, investigators ruled out extraterrestrial involvement in these cases.
Some speculated that the attacks were part of satanic rituals, especially since one incident coincided with St. Winebald Day, a significant date in the satanic calendar. Others suggested the mutilations were tied to secret experiments in the equestrian community, prompted by an outbreak of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1).
The EHV-1 virus outbreak reportedly began at a horse show in Utah in April 2011, rapidly spreading across the US, Canada, and much of Europe. The equestrian community was deeply concerned, calling for collaborative research to better understand the disease. Some speculated that the timing of the outbreak and the subsequent horse mutilations in the UK might be linked to covert testing and research efforts.
4. Sheep Mutilations in England, 2010
In early 2010, farmers near Shrewsbury, England, discovered their sheep dead and mutilated. Some even reported seeing strange objects hovering above the animals, seemingly using lasers to inflict the injuries.
The sheep exhibited bizarre surgical injuries, including brains removed through precise holes in their skulls and flesh meticulously stripped from their faces. Investigations revealed that many had internal organs expertly extracted. During the same period, unusual orange lights and spheres were observed in the sky.
In March 2010, a 16-member investigative team reported witnessing strange crafts during their inquiry. They claimed to observe these objects attacking animals directly, with one investigator describing the technology as 'terrifying' and another comparing the scene to a 'Star Wars battle.'
After this unusual event, investigators interviewed local farmers the next morning. Upon checking their livestock, nearly all farmers reported missing animals or discovering corpses that appeared to have been attacked overnight.
3. Cow Apparently Dropped from the Sky in Nebraska, 2013
In 2013, Linda Moulton Howe, a prominent researcher in animal mutilations, documented a series of incidents on a Nebraska farm. One case involved a cow found with its head buried in the ground, as though it had fallen from the sky.
Rancher Alex Peterson recounted discovering two of his cattle dead, bearing precise cuts and missing organs. He also found a third cow alive but severely injured and in distress, prompting him to euthanize it. Tests on the third cow revealed no traces of poison, with results indicating it was otherwise healthy.
Days later, Peterson found another cow dead, its head seemingly forced into the ground. Upon pulling the head out, he noticed no dirt in the cow’s nose or mouth, suggesting it had died before impact and possibly fell from a significant height.
2. Sheep Mutilations in Texas, 2013
In 2013, a series of sheep mutilations in Texas were examined by local authorities and MUFON. While opinions varied on the cause, a sheriff remarked, 'This was too precise to be an animal. Whoever did this was skilled.' Although officials suspect human involvement, possibly linked to satanic rituals, MUFON has not dismissed the possibility of extraterrestrial or UFO activity.
Wayne and Karen Daggs, owners of a farm in Port Lavaca, lost over 20 sheep to mutilations between July and October 2013. Each animal had precise cuts to their faces and mouths, with some being castrated. As with other cases, no blood was found at the scene.
The Daggs also reported sheep disappearing without a trace. Given that their sheep weigh between 27 and 34 kilograms (60–75 lb), it’s unlikely a person could carry them easily, and no tire tracks or vehicle evidence were found on their property.
This region of Texas has a history of animal mutilations, with one of the earliest cases dating back to the early 1900s. A horse was found with surgical-like cuts removing its nervous system, and its upper neck and head were stripped or burned to the bone.
1. Mutilations Occur at Regular Intervals in Arizona
Kit Metzger from the Flying M Ranch has found numerous cattle dead and mutilated on her property over the years, some so severely disfigured they were 'hardly identifiable' as cows. Injuries include missing eyes and organs, as well as precise cuts to the face and reproductive organs. Like other cases, there is no blood at the scene, and the animals are often completely drained of blood.
Metzger suspects that the perpetrators use a sedative or muscle relaxant to paralyze the cattle and likely insert a pump into a major artery to drain the blood. She notes that neighboring ranchers have also faced similar attacks. Theories range from UFOs and extraterrestrials to satanic cults, though no concrete evidence supports either, leaving the mutilations a complete mystery.
Metzger reports that these killings date back to the 1970s and tend to occur at specific times of the year. She observes that mid-July, October, and the period around Easter often coincide with new mutilations and animal deaths on her ranch.
+ An Interrupted Cattle Mutilation? England, 1985
The 1985 incident over Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, England, did not result in any confirmed cattle mutilations or disappearances. However, it raised speculation about whether the strange object observed on two occasions was 'interrupted' during an attempted mutilation.
A father and son driving home one evening spotted a triangular object hovering over a field, its underside lit by three distinct lights. They stopped to observe the silent craft, which remained motionless for several minutes before accelerating away at high speed. Notably, the area where the object was seen is frequently used by the military.
The duo hurried back to Rugeley and reported the incident to the police, who promptly dispatched two officers to their home to take statements. Oddly, one officer advised them, 'You should never have left the car.' The men were left without any explanation for what they had witnessed.
Two days later, another sighting occurred nearby in the early morning. A former military policeman, participating in a duck hunt with friends in Cannock Chase, reported seeing a mysterious light moving across the sky. It approached and hovered over a herd of cows in a nearby field.
Acting impulsively, the witness stood up for a better view, drawing the object’s attention. It emitted several beams of light, one directed at him, prompting him to flee until he was out of sight. Returning later with a friend, he found the light gone and the cows undisturbed, showing no signs of the strange event.
