Published: Monday, December 11, 2006
VIKING, Alta. — About 170 cattle have either drowned or died of exposure in a farm dugout near Viking, Alta.
Efforts are underway to pull the carcasses of about 100 cows and close to 70 calves that broke through the ice on the farm late last week.
Floyd Mullaney with Alberta Agriculture's investigation unit says he's only seen something like this once before in the eight years he's been involved in such work.
He says there's no compensation available to the farmer, unless he has an insurance policy covering such losses.
Friends and neighbours are planning a charity auction to help the farmer.
Viking is about 100 kilometres southeast of Edmonton.