Updated at: 10/29/2009 6:20 PM | KSAX.com
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Neglected Cows Rescued:  May Go Back to Squalor

With cattle forced to stand, eat, and sleep in several feet of liquid waste, conditions on 69 year old richard yarke's farm had deteriorated to dangerous and unsanitary.

On monday, the stearns county sheriff’s department seized yarke’s 47 holstein cows and transported them to a rescue farm north of Sauk Centre.

  According to Stearns County Animal Safety Officer Dr. RJ Ganz, Yarke's farmyard and the conditions his cattle were living under were far less than desirable.

  "There was urine, feces, manure and water and they were being fed right in that," said Ganz who is a veterinarian that has served rural Stearns County for more than 40 years.

  Ganz went on to say that at the time they were seized, most of Yarke's cows were dehydrated, some were sick, and all had been forced to eat grain mixed with their own waste. Ganz did note, however, that none of Yarke's cows were starving but were obviously living in filthy conditions.  He also added that the Sauk Centre Dairy Inspector had recently stopped milk production on the farm for similar sanitary reasons.  

Yarke's cattle are currently under observation, and Dr. RJ Ganz says the heard is in reasonable condition with none of the animals dead or dieing. 

As for 69-year-old Richard Yarke, Stearns County Sheriff John Sanner says animal cruelty charges are still pending against him.  However, under the Stearns County judicial process, Yarke has ten days from the date of the seizure of his animals to petition the court to get them back.