What made the cows sick in Yellowstone? Life’s never been easy for John Dutton within the Yellowstone timeline. So far, he’s lost his wife, survived cancer, and there was that time someone tried to assassinate him. Still, through hard work and grit, John’s managed to keep his ranch going and even become governor of Montana.
The Yellowstone mid-season finale, however, has introduced a new threat to John Dutton’s way of life. During the TV series, John discovered a number of stillborn calves on the ranch, and it’s clear his cattle were sick with something. So what made the cows sick in Yellowstone season 5?
What made the cows sick in Yellowstone?
It’s suspected that the Dutton family’s cows are sick with Brucellosis that they caught from a wild bison. Brucellosis is a real disease caused by a bacterial infection. In humans, Brucellosis causes flu-like symptoms, but in cattle, the effects are much more severe.
The disease can reduce the fertility of cattle and cause pregnant cows to miscarry. There’s no cure or vaccine for Brucellosis, which is why John’s been forced to take his herd south to (literally) greener pastures free from the disease.
If you want to know more about Yellowstone, then we have articles on the ongoing spin-off 1923, including how to watch 1923, how many episodes of 1923 there’ll be, and an explainer breaking down how the 1923 cast is related to the modern Duttons.
We also have guides breaking down everything we know about the 1883 season 2 release date and the 6666 release date.