Dead cows have been found washed up on beaches in Sweden and Denmark, with authorities in the dark about how they ended up in the ocean.
To date, people have found three dead cows washed up onto beaches in Denmark and eight in Sweden. An investigation into the matter is now underway.
The cow carcasses began washing up onto the beaches on 29 December and each cow was missing part of its ear. Authorities came to the conclusion that parts of the animals’ ears had been cut off to remove any identification marks that would have been put on at an earlier stage of their lives.
Some of the cows also had their hind legs tied together with rope, something authorities believe may have been so a crane could lift them. Authorities think the cases are connected as the cows were all black and white Holsteins.
Police think a livestock boat dumped the animals overboard, a move that is illegal. They are checking all ships that have transported livestock through the waters between Sweden and Denmark in their ongoing investigation.
Veterinarians have since carried out tests on the dead cows and revealed that they were not carrying any diseases.