As the U.S. is in the throes of tornado season, it is an annual event that can be devastating, with widespread damage to farms and crops, as Mother Nature reminds us of the power and destruction that can be caused by the power of wind. Dairy farms across the Midwest, the Great Plains, the East, and the Southeast are accustomed to this threat that occurs most often in the spring months. Several dairies in these areas have been impacted by tornadoes that have hit these regions in recent weeks and months.

What might not be on our minds is the power of man-made causes of widespread damage, as was recently seen on a 280-cow dairy in Ukraine. Covered by Chris McCullough, originally appearing in the Fence Post, the dairy, located in the village of Mokra Rokytna, Ukraine, was attacked for the second time by the Russian military.

The second and most destructive attack on the dairy started on April 28, when the farm was hit by approximately 10 drone strikes. The dairy lost more than 100 cows in the attack, including cows that needed to be put down due to shrapnel damage. In addition to the damage in the milking barn, other livestock barns and machine sheds were hit in the attack.

According to McCullough, since the start of the invasion by Russia, Ukraine’s agricultural sector has lost more than $80 billion, and $11.2 billion of this is a direct result of destroyed businesses, equipment, livestock, and agricultural machinery.

Images appearing in the article about the attack evoke thoughts of the familiar wreckage of an F3 or higher tornado. We are used to the pain-evoking photos of tornadoes touching down on U.S. soil and the path of destruction they can cause, especially on dairies.

As we pass the peak of tornado season and the recent solemn recognition of Memorial Day, we can take a pause and continue to be thankful that we are not contending with man-made disasters in combination with unpredictable thunderstorms causing tornadic destruction.

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