South Dakota
Two veterinarians, hundreds of miles apart, solved a cow sickness whodunit • South Dakota Searchlight
It appeared to be a problem with the food.
In February, dairy cattle in multiple herds in northern Texas were suddenly producing less milk, and what they gave was abnormal and thick.
And the typically voracious eaters had seemingly lost their appetites.
For weeks in March, veterinarian Dr. Barb Petersen sought an answer. She talked to dairy owners and exchanged notes with fellow vets in the panhandle of Texas. She submitted numerous samples to labs that tested for more than 200 potential causes.
“Any fluid you can collect from a live animal, I collected it,” said Petersen, who was raised on a dairy farm near Davenport, Iowa. “As did many others. There were so many of us at the same time texting each other and trying to figure this out.”
She started messaging Dr. Drew Magstadt, who she had studied alongside at Iowa State University years before. He now works at the ISU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory — a preeminent national animal lab in Ames — and researches infectious disease in cattle.
When the voluminous amount of testing in Texas failed to find any clues, Magstadt and Petersen concluded that a likely cause was ill-made food.
“The affected cattle were very high-producing dairy cows, and they are on a race-car ration,” Magstadt said. “If you mess with that a little bit, it can cause problems.”
Petersen agreed to send Magstadt some samples of the feed and animals for testing.
But then the cats started dying.
Barn cats are common on farms. They kill rodents, provide companionship and need little help to survive.
Some dairy farmers also feed them milk from their cows, and sick cows can shed viruses in their milk.
“A colleague of mine, he told me, ‘You know what’s strange? I went to one of my dairies last week, and all their cats were missing. I couldn’t figure it out — the cats usually come to my vet truck,’ ” Petersen recalled. “And then someone called me and said half of his cats had passed away without warning, and so then all the alarm bells start going off in your head.”
The cats had died from swollen brains, a potential result of influenza. They didn’t have rabies.
Outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have plagued poultry producers in the United States since early 2022 and have led to the culling of more than 90 million domestic birds in backyard and commercial flocks. It is often transmitted by wild, migrating birds.
The virus had never been known to infect cattle in the country, and so the potential for it to have sickened the Texas cattle seemed highly unlikely, Magstadt thought.
It would be a “zebra,” Petersen said, which in medical parlance can refer to a surprising, exotic diagnosis.
Yet Magstadt immediately tested Petersen’s milk samples for influenza A — which most commonly infects birds — before investigating the feed. He thought the testing would merely rule out bird flu as a potential cause, but instead it confirmed it.
“I was incredibly surprised,” Magstadt said.
Further testing and retesting over days confirmed that the virus is the type that has been driving the poultry outbreaks, with an official confirmation on March 25.
The initial affected herds were in northern Texas and southwest Kansas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Since then, infected cattle have been discovered in far flung states, including South Dakota, often the result of infected cattle being transported to new herds.
So far, bird flu has been detected in 28 dairy cattle herds in eight states, the USDA said. There is evidence that the virus has transmitted cow-to-cow, an alarming revelation that heightens its threat.
One person who worked closely with infected cattle also contracted the illness.
“There’s plenty of times that we get called in to these types of situations, and sometimes we strike out,” Magstadt said. “The times that we do find something, it’s very rewarding. … Everybody was just stumbling around in the dark, and it’s great to be involved in turning on the light.”
The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Ames is the largest tester of livestock disease in the country. It conducted about 1.6 million tests last year. The first construction phase for its new facility recently finished and the second part is expected to be complete in 2026, at a total cost of more than $140 million.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 20 drawing
16-20-44-48-50, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from June 20 drawing
08-14-31-41-52, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 03
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Dakota Cash numbers from June 20 drawing
02-09-15-27-34
Check Dakota Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 20 drawing
01-10-16-30-31, Bonus: 04
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — You can celebrate Juneteenth in central Sioux Falls Saturday. The festivities start at 10 a.m. in Fawick Park with a Freedom Walk. Activities also include a Spoken Word, Car show demonstration, community games, a fashion, art and beauty expo, a talent show and a DJ battle.
Also in central Sioux Falls is the Festival of Cultures hosted by Lutheran Social Services. The American Patchwork Quartet will perform at 11 a.m. and Nepali dancers NSKK will take the stage at 12:30. It’s all happening at the Sioux Falls Coliseum. Then, the Parade of Flags will take place at 7:20 p.m. at the Levitt Lawn.
Join cancer survivor Lisa Soundy for for a Walk and Talk about cancer survivorship. Hear Lisa share her personal experience with cancer. The event starts at 9:30 a.m. at the Prairie West Library in western Soiux Falls. It is hosted by Avera McKennan Hospital.
Fly a kite at the Brookings Kite Festival. It goes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and a lighted kite show will go from 8:30 to10 in the evening on Saturday. It takes place at the Fishback Soccer Complex and will also include food trucks and kids games.
Also, enjoy the final day of Czech Days in Tabor. The festivities include a craft fair, kiddie parade, dumpling making demonstration and a lot more. The festivities start at 7 a.m. with a 5K and run through the night.
Head to Sioux Valley Cycle Club in Sioux Falls for an ATV race. Gates open at 1 p.m., practice starts at 3:45, and racing starts at 4:45. Admission is $10, but kids 6 and under are free.
Take in Teapot Days in Tea, South Dakota. Events include a parade at 10 a.m., the Mighty Thomas Carnival beginning at noon and fireworks at 10:15 in the evening in the city park.
Take a lunch break and enjoy live music in downtown Sioux Falls. Head to the Ampt! event at the Phillips Avenue Plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
You can enjoy more music downtown later in the night at Levitt at the Falls. Hear folk songs from the American Patchwork Quartet and openers Alma Latina Grupo Multicultural and the Levitt Vocal Jam Camp Showcase. The music starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free.
There’s also free music to enjoy west river throughout the afternoon and evening at Wild Bill Days on Main Street in Deadwood. Other events include a downtown art festival, gold panning and blacksmithing demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
See if you can catch any fish at Family Park in western Sioux Falls. All the needed gear is provided, but you can bring your own gear if you would like. It goes from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and it is completely free.
There’s another fishing opportunity much further north. Head north to Roy Lake State Park for Cops and Bobbers and fish with local law enforcement. All the needed equipment and bait will be provided. It goes from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Roy Lake Store Docks and fishing pier. A park pass is required.
Help support Feeding South Dakota at the 13th annual Prime Time Gala & Concert. The event includes a silent auction, live auction, food and music from Dierks Bentley, Muscadine Bloodline and Elizabeth Jo. Guest Check-in is at 4 p.m. at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.
Catch a show at the Orpheum Theater. It’s the last weekend to see Legally Blonde presented by the Premiere Playhouse. The show starts at 7 p.m.
Experience a yarn adventure at Prairie Road Yarn in Sioux Falls. The Yarn Adventure Truck will be paying a visit from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Falls Park Farmers market in Sioux Falls is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Brandon Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 925 N. Splitrock Boulevard. The Brookings Farmers Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon in the 300 block of 6th Avenue.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 19, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 19 drawing
13-16-21-26-50, Mega Ball: 12
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from June 19 drawing
02-20-28-51-54, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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