A Nevada rancher whose cattle were seized, then returned to him by the government said on Monday that he's inspecting the livestock in question for any potential damages or wounds.
Agents from the federal Bureau of Land Management engaged in a four hour-long standoff with hundreds of rancher Cliven Bundy's supporters and family members this past Sunday, according to CBS. BLM officials stated one week ago that Bundy owed at least $1 million in penalties, back fees and other citations. Authorities contended he'd allowed his cattle to continuously graze on public land, despite multiple summons and court orders.
The United States Bureau of Land Management's Director Neil Kornze told CBS that the agency agreed to return the nearly 350 cows they seized from the Bundy ranch to sidestep a potentially dangerous situation. But Kornze also said the organization intended to pursue the $1 million owed by Bundy.
Almost 1,000 supporting militiamen wielding arms rallied on horseback and foot with the Bundy family on Sunday, Reuters reported.
Cliven Bundy's son Ammon said at the time that it was necessary to use force as a form of intimidation against the federal agents.
"We were dedicated to opening those gates and peacefully walking through to retrieve those cattle," Ammond said. "The presence of weapons was needed in order to intimidate them."
Michele Fiore, who works as an assemblywoman in Nevada, told CBS she helped the Bundy family tend to its newly returned animals this past weekend.
"It's going to take a lot to revive the calves that were nearly dead when they were returned to the Bundy Ranch because they had been separated from their mothers during the roundup, and a few most likely won't make it," the Las Vegas Republican said.
The BLM's National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board met in Sacramento on Monday to discuss issues on government ranching involvement. According to CBS, activists advocating for the protection of wild horses said the feds were corralling too many mustangs while simultaneously letting sheep and cattle feed on overgrazed rangeland. Ranchers, meanwhile, said the government wouldn't round up enough horses overall.
The Bundy ranch is located around 80 miles northeast of Vegas.