Hundreds of cows loose after tornado hits dairy farm in Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — “Unbelievable.” That’s what the owner of a West Michigan dairy farm is feeling after a tornado hit her farm Tuesday, destroying multiple buildings and releasing hundreds of cows into the night.

Janet Hull, co-owner of Hull’s Dairy Farm in Fenwick, began surveying her property early Wednesday morning, just hours after the storms rolled through. She told WZZM she had taken shelter in her basement when she heard the wind roaring outside. 

“It sounded like a train coming through,” she said. “The house shook and it made all sorts of awful noises. When I come upstairs, it was a mess.”

Debris was scattered across the farm, with some buildings a total loss. A large garage housing farm equipment had the door caved in and the building was demolished.

As a result of the damage, hundreds of cows got loose. First responders spent hours wrangling the cattle overnight. Hull said some were recovered, but many are still loose. The work to round them up will begin later in the day along with cleanup.

“I don’t even know how to begin. There’s barn repairs, roof repairs, animals loose, just so much,” Hull said.

The home’s siding, chimney and windows were also damaged in the storm.

Despite the damage, first responders say no injuries have been reported. 

Fenwick was not the only area that saw significant damage in the storms. The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in downtown Otsego, then traveled into Plainwell. A 13 ON YOUR SIDE crew at the scene saw downed trees and debris strewn across the town, which is still without power.

The National Weather Service, like Hull, will be surveying the damage on Wednesday.

“Unbelievable what damage can be done in a short amount of time,” she said.