COW BOMBS?

As the middle of the country endured its sixth day of sweltering summer heat, operators of feed lots in Iowa faced a new problem -- exploding cows. The extreme heat causes gases to rapidly expand in animals after they die of heat-related distress. In many cases, they literally burst. "We've got to get them picked up right away or otherwise when you pick them up all you get is pieces," said one Iowa resident. The recent temperature rise is exacerbated on feedlots, where large herds are kept in areas without any shade. An estimated 2,500 cows have died in western Iowa alone, costing operators $1.75 million.