Cow on the loose temporarily shuts down 2 lanes of Interstate 75 in Manatee

MANATEE -- A cow shut down two lanes of Interstate 75 Friday morning but has been returned safely to its pasture, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Lt. Greg Bueno, of the Florida Highway Patrol, said they received a call about the cow at 4:55 a.m. and a trooper responded but couldn't find it. FHP received a second call at 5:34 a.m. about a cow on the shoulder of I-75 just south of the county line between Hillsborough and Manatee and turned it over to the sheriff's office.

Dave Bristow, spokesman for the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, said the cow escaped from a nearby pasture because of a broken fence. Deputies had to shut down two lanes of I-75 for about an hour and a half.

"The cow was at this time just running around, it was very anxious with everything going on, which is natural," Bristow said, adding that he grew up on a farm with cows.

Bristow said the cow actually returned to the pasture on its own, and deputies spoke to the owner who secured the cow and said he would mend the fence.

The cow was not harmed and no accidents resulted from the incident.

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 11:48 AM with the headline "Cow on the loose temporarily shuts down 2 lanes of Interstate 75 in Manatee ."