Georgia farmer considers retirement after rabid cow attack

Farming is tough business.

Area cows have donated a nice recliner for the farmer's recovery. (Unrelated AP Photo)

Droughts, weeds and bugs all conspire against the modern husbandman.

And don’t forget the threat of 900-pound rabid farm animals. The Associated Press reports a Georgia farmer “in his early 70s” is considering retiring from his ancient profession after being attacked by a rabid cow.

Raymond Parks, of the Maysville area, located about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta on I-85, said he feared he would not survive the assault — a violent head-butting that threw him into a barbed wire fence.

Parks suffered broken ribs, but told WXIA TV he was still able to blast the unnamed and unarmed cow three times with his shotgun. Still, the animal didn’t die and a veterinarian was called several days later to put the animal out of its misery.

How did the animal contract rabies? The AP reports Parks’ Jackson County farm is near the spot where a rabid bobcat was recently discovered.

Cows rarely contract rabies, but 19 other animals in Parks’ herd have been placed in quarantine for six months.

Parks’ wife of more than 50 years, Pauline, said despite recent events that her husband will never retire.

In other farm animal news: Inmate adds pig image to Vermont police cruiser decals