A New York dairy producer shot and killed 51 of his milk cows and then committed suicide Thursday, according to weekend news reports.
Dean Pierson, 59, was found dead in his barn in Copake, about 115 miles north of New York City.
He was reported to have killed the half of his herd that required milking. He left no suicide note, but sources speculated Pierson was trying of spare his family the burden of caring for the animals. He was said to have milked the herd alone and had been having personal issues in recent months.
Neighbors and fellow farmers helped bury the cow carcasses beside the barn.
Read more at: http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2010/01/24/news/doc4b5cde4aef7c7397804009.txt
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/23/AR2010012301565.html
