Jean Fee Dead After Cow Attack: Woman Dies Protecting Toddler

Jean Fee went with her husband and grandson to feed the cows last Saturday afternoon at their family farm in rural Urbana, Iowa.

After her husband went back to the house to get the grandson a drink, he heard screams. He went back out to find Fee lying on the ground with her grandson beside him. Fee was killed trying to protect her grandson from a cow attack, the Benton County sheriff’s office said.

“It’s pretty unusual for a cow to become aggressive,” Terry Engelken, associate professor at Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine told the Des Moines Register. “We have a few instances of (cow attacks) across the country every year — but it’s uncommon. For it to result in a fatality is very uncommon.”

Engelken also said it's more common for cows to attack when they have a newborn calf, which was the case in this incident. "We also just see differences in temperament in cows like we see in dogs and cats and people,” he said.

The AP reports that Fee was flown to Cedar Rapids hospital where she died.

KGAN notes that Sheriff's deputies stood guard to keep cows from attacking rescuers as they attended to Fee.

Comments

[Pema]

01:14 PM on 07/16/2011

how horrible. but this cow did what it needed to do protect her calf. people need to be responsible when taking care of livestock.
this is a horrible situation and my prayers go to the family.

[Etowah2009]

12:19 PM on 07/15/2011

Something not right about this story, no witness to the supposed attack..husband ...enough said.

[Pema]

01:14 PM on 07/16/2011

you may be right...

[icewitch1]

12:30 PM on 07/11/2011

Ok, need to get the story straight. Yes, cow and bull attacks do happen and yes, people get injured or killed. But not the case here: http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Stroke-Not-Cow-Attack-Killed-Woman-124454764.html

[icewitch1]

12:20 PM on 07/11/2011

It isn't as unusual for a cow to attack as you would think. Some breeds are more agressive than others. Our Holsteins were a pretty docile bunch but we had some cows from Mexico that we were raising for roping that were as ornery as any bull when they had calves. Still, it is more common to be attacked by a bull than a cow. As for fatalities, just think about it, getting run over or pinned by an animal that weighs anywhere from 600 lbs (Jersey cow) to over a ton (Holstein bull)....you don't stand a chance. We raised cattle for over 25 years....there were very few animals in our herd that I would turn my back on under any circumstances.

[wallyone]

06:55 AM on 06/24/2011

There are a few deaths in the US every year from cow attacks, and even more from bull attacks. Plus many serious injuries. This is the first one I know of that made national news.

[Wonder Woman2]

06:08 PM on 06/23/2011

THIS IS NOT TRUE!

The results of her autopsy were revealed today and she dies of a stroke. There was no evidence of external injury.

[intolleft]

09:21 AM on 06/23/2011

I'll tell you, they can get pretty pis sed when you knock them over while sleeping.

[frank1946]

06:56 AM on 06/23/2011

Farm Life is dangerous, so many variables and risk factors, I am sorry for this Family and
Pray that they recover and go on with life !

My Family lost a distant relative in a barn in Missouri when a milk cow forced the woman
who was milking her against the barn wall, she suffocated and died !

No one heard her scream for help since she could not get air apparently !

Large body animals are dangerous, horses, cows, deer, elk, etc.

[icewitch1]

12:21 PM on 07/11/2011

And the animal doesn't have to be being agressive. That milk cow may very well have just been leaning to lean....not being agressive. People forget just how big a cow is!

[Moose Luck 99]

09:43 PM on 06/22/2011

Was the cow eating corn? That can give them gas and make them ugly.

[American4Usa]

09:03 PM on 06/21/2011

I believe that so many people have not had all the facts of the story before they condemned this issue. Cattle are not inhumanly treated on a daily basis, nor do cattle run around attacking people. Our cattle are comfortabl­e around my dad and will stare at you with their mouths full, not moving another muscle as you pass by. It is when their environmen­t is changed, ie cow with her calf and new person is around, that a cow COULD become defensive. This does not mean that an attack will happen, but a person does need to respect the enormity of these animals. No one was there to know what happened for sure, but it was a tragic ending; have people forgotten that grandson will never truly know his grandmother?! This is NOT a common occurance and my heart goes out to this family. What if the woman was killed by her dog; would you feel differentl­y about this situation? Should we not own dogs or cats either? I am not condeming your lifestyle, but the manner in which you condemn mine. Please remember you are HUMAN and a life was tragically lost. Thankfully­, the situation was not made worse in that the boy was unharmed. If something happened to him, would you still feel so violently toward the woman, Jean Fee? I ask that you think about my words and say a prayer for the family of a grieving family..to the family of Jean Fee.

[Max Shaw]

02:00 PM on 06/21/2011

The kid poked it in the eye again didnt it? Very sad...From all my experiences with cattle, they seem to be able to sense intentions of humans. If it wasnt provoked than thats just bizarre.

[SimpleCity]

07:28 AM on 06/21/2011

I'll give up my cow when they pry it from my cold dead hands.

[ToastMan]

02:24 AM on 06/21/2011

My daughter's boyfriend lives on a cattle farm. The first time she was visiting the steers we're terrified of her. They ran away from her. Two even jumped three fences and ran away. Her boyfriend is still amazed. He has never witnessed anything like it before.

[brokerthanu]

08:52 PM on 06/21/2011

She was probably wearing a bright color that was flapping in the wind.

[intolleft]

09:22 AM on 06/23/2011

The say animals are good judges of character.

[Silverfloss]

10:29 PM on 06/20/2011

A mother of 5 young children living in our county was killed by a cow this winter when she and her husband were doing the feeding. So, so sad. Todd County Minnesota.

[AnimalLover6]

09:25 PM on 06/20/2011

Maybe because the cow was sick and tired of humans taking her babies away from her and torturing them for veal.

In any case, we don't know the whole story. Maybe the woman or her granson was taunting the cow or ignoring the signals to stay away. Typical human arrogance.

I'm sure the cow was killed. Because humanity is as dumb as a rock.

[Silverfloss]

10:35 PM on 06/20/2011

You got that right, that humanity is as dumb as a rock, especially when one attributes human feelings to other animals. Cows are not human, farmers doin't taunt cows but treat them with respect and the cow would not be killed because it killed a human. A cow is worth at least $2K and a farmer doesn't burn that kind of money. It amazes me how little urban people know about farming and livestock. It also amazes me that people can have more regard for the well being of farm animals and pets than they do for their fellow human beings.

[Mr Harry Koch]

11:56 PM on 06/20/2011

All animals (humans included) need to be treated with respect. Stop killing animals for food.

[freethehens]

12:16 AM on 06/21/2011

I would never attribute human feelings to other animals - animals would never engage in the horrific things humans do to each other and other beings on an unsustainable scale.

What's amazing is the belief that having 'farmed animals' is somehow necessary. And that using them as commodities has eroded the ability of most to consider another's interests, regardless of species.

[peegan]

10:41 PM on 06/20/2011

Farmers don't usually taunt their cows. Maybe it is just a terrible tragic accident in which a woman was killed by an animal much larger than herself. Most cows are quite passive, even with babies. This one wasn't.