McIntosh County Rancher Under Investigation After Cattle Found Starving

A McIntosh County rancher is under investigation after his cattle were removed from his land. Neighbors tell News On 6 close to 150 head of cattle had to be rescued after they were found to be starving.

We're not identifying the rancher, because he has not been charged, and no one answered when we knocked on the door of his home.

Two of the cows are now recuperating inside a pen on another property. One of them is still alive, but appears to barely be able to move.

The McIntosh County sheriff is not saying much about the case, only that the cattle were seized on Good Friday.

One man who lives nearby, but declined to be identified, said he's never seen anything like this. He said the cattle were not fed all winter and, in many of the cases, you could see the cows' rib bones through their skin.

The neighbor said, in addition to the 150 head of cattle removed from the landowner, at least another 30 were found dead on his land. Some of the bodies were lying inside the pond, causing investigators to declare it unfit for livestock.

The man told News On 6 there's no reason for the rancher to let the cattle get that condition, and he hopes the landowner faces criminal charges.

The investigation is currently in the hands of the district attorney. He hopes to have a decision about whether the rancher will face charges by the end of this week.