BLM confirms six cattle died in roundup

The Bureau of Land Management on Monday said six cattle died in the roundup of Cliven Bundy’s livestock that culminated with the release of some 350 animals after a standoff between armed protesters and federal agents on April 12. The BLM, which oversaw the roundup near Bunkerville, said four animals were euthanized and two died of unspecified causes. The four euthanized animals included a bull with Bundy’s brand, a cow with Bundy’s brand, an unbranded bull and unbranded cow, BLM spokesman Craig Leff said. The other two animals that died included an unbranded bull and an unbranded cow, Leff said in a statement. Without offering specifics, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said last week that a task force was forming to address the situation. The Bundys have criticized the BLM’s use of “contract cowboys” to handle the roundup. They also said they found dead cattle buried in holes. Pictures of the dead cattle were posted on social media sites. It’s unclear how much the failed roundup will cost taxpayers. Government contract records show the BLM inked a $966,000 contract in February for the roundup with Shayne Sampson of Sampson Livestock, based in Meadow, Utah. “The BLM has not completed a full accounting of the operation,” Leff said. “We are still calculating the full cost and will make it public once we are done.”...more