Holy cow: Stray herd forces downtown roundup in Red Wing

Downtown Red Wing was a scene of udder gridlock this week as a small herd of cows escaped their trailer to roam the streets.

Red Wing police responded to a report of stray livestock on Main Street around 10:45 p.m. Wednesday. Sure enough, officers found half a dozen Holsteins wandering aimlessly around the intersection of Highway 61 and Plum Street. One of the dairy cows ambled toward the High Bridge and the pastures of Wisconsin on the other side of the river.

"The cows just kind of stood around on Highway 61," said Red Wing Police Chief Roger Pohlman. Three officers parked their cars around the cows in an impromptu corral and coaxed the herd out of traffic and into the safety of a nearby parking lot. A little later, a farmer called, looking for his cows.

"Best we can figure out, a farmer was transporting his cows through town when the latch came open, the gate came open" — and six of his cows came out to stretch their legs in Red Wing, Pohlman said. The farmer apparently didn't notice his herd was short by half a dozen head until he arrived where he was headed, which the Associated Press identified as Hager City, Wis., about 3 miles from Red Wing.

Jennifer Brooks • 612-673-4008