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| Cows killed by lightning strike | Cows killed by lightning strike |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| A lightning strike killed 16 bullocks which were sheltering from a storm in a field in East Lothian. | |
| A neighbour saw one of the animals being struck as they stood under a tree at Saltoun House Farm, Pencaitland, on Sunday. | A neighbour saw one of the animals being struck as they stood under a tree at Saltoun House Farm, Pencaitland, on Sunday. |
| It is thought that the lightning conducted through a puddle to kill the other cows. | It is thought that the lightning conducted through a puddle to kill the other cows. |
| Farm manager Jim McDougal told the BBC Scotland news website he had been "very upset" by the "freak act of nature". | Farm manager Jim McDougal told the BBC Scotland news website he had been "very upset" by the "freak act of nature". |
| The 60-year-old said he and his daughter Alison had gone to the field after being alerted by the neighbour. | The 60-year-old said he and his daughter Alison had gone to the field after being alerted by the neighbour. |
| The cows were singed and we could smell it in the air when we arrived Jim McDougalBeef farmer | The cows were singed and we could smell it in the air when we arrived Jim McDougalBeef farmer |
| The beef farmer said: "It is a shocking thing to see. I felt numbness, it was unbelievable. | The beef farmer said: "It is a shocking thing to see. I felt numbness, it was unbelievable. |
| "They were all either sitting or lying where they had fallen in a regimented row. I have never seen anything like it in my life. | "They were all either sitting or lying where they had fallen in a regimented row. I have never seen anything like it in my life. |
| "The cows were singed and we could smell it in the air when we arrived. | "The cows were singed and we could smell it in the air when we arrived. |
| "I am very upset, but it was a freak act of nature so there was nothing I could do about it." | "I am very upset, but it was a freak act of nature so there was nothing I could do about it." |
| His wife Elizabeth said: "Jim could not believe the carnage he saw. | His wife Elizabeth said: "Jim could not believe the carnage he saw. |
| "A man down the road saw a cow being struck by lightning and then the vet thinks it conducted the lightning to the other cows as they were standing in the same puddle under a tree." | "A man down the road saw a cow being struck by lightning and then the vet thinks it conducted the lightning to the other cows as they were standing in the same puddle under a tree." |
| A vet from Haddington took blood samples and confirmed that the 18-month-old bullocks had died from a lightning strike. | A vet from Haddington took blood samples and confirmed that the 18-month-old bullocks had died from a lightning strike. |