On Tuesday, KOMU 8 News received an email from a concerned neighbor about the condition of nearby cattle.

The farm is on County Road 216 near Fulton.

Neighbors say the owner of the farm lives in Arkansas and back in November allowed another man to keep cattle on the land. Neighbors say the cows were only supposed to be there for a few days.

Neighbors say they've seen the cattle's owner feeding them hay, but they say hay alone isn't enough to nourish a cow. The cows need protein and the grass is too short to feed off of.

In fact, because of recent heavy rains, much of the hay is rotting.

"If they starve, they'll eventually die," neighbor Sally Hagar said. "I don't know how many pounds you can lose in six months, but they haven't gained weight. They've lost."

Neighbors called the Callaway Sheriff's Department, but no one there would comment, saying the case is under investigation.

Deputy Jeffrey Harding said the farm was properly fenced and the cattle have three sources of water.

Contrary to what Harding says, along the fences are holes cows made trying to reach the grass on the other side. There is also an electric fence surrounding the largest source of water.

Neighbors are also concerned about the number of cows on the property. The farm is about 20 acres. Deputy Harding is unsure of the exact number of cattle. But neighbors estimate close to 30.

"And almost every cow that's been put in there has had a calf. So then that doubles the cows on the land," Hagar said. "It's just a matter of being a responsible person and making sure your animals are fed. If you can't fed them, get rid of them."

After repeated phone calls, KOMU 8 News was unable to contact the owner of the cows. Just a few hours after the calls, the owner arrived with some feed for the cattle.

The owner told Hagar he plans to get rid of at least half of his cattle.

FOLLOW-UP

On Wednesday, Callaway County Sheriff's Department and a vet from the Missouri Department of Agriculture completed their investigation on the farm. No criminal activity took place and there is no concern for the animal's health. The owner also provided cattle with nutritional supplements.