COAL CREEK, Colo. — A rancher in Fremont County continues to seek answers as to why 15 cows died in one day.
Rancher Kerri Higgs has been scrambling to learn the cause of the deaths from several tests.
On May 8, Higgs found 15 of her cows dead with no definite cause of their deaths. She contacted a local vet to find answers. A week later, the vet told Higgs that sulfate poisoning is likely the cause.
Higgs said the vet took samples to a different lab to get a second opinion.
"She talked to Dr. Webb at Colorado State University (CSU). They conversed," Higgs said.
On May 27, the CSU vet released a new testing result that found no significant lesions from multiple tested tissues.
"I don't know what else it could be honestly," Higgs said.
She contacted the Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission (ECMC) for help.
"Because of smell," Higgs said. "The smell of the oil pad was really bad."
On Monday, using optical gas imagery cameras, the ECMC used a drone to check for any gas in the area where her cows died.
The ECMC said it could take at least a day or two to process the results for inspection.
