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North Stonington — Drivers heading to work on Route 184 in North Stonington early Friday morning found the road blocked — not by traffic, but by a herd of cows.

At least a dozen loose cows were roaming the area just after sunrise, trotting along down the two-lane road as state troopers and local farmers tried to wrangle the herd. The "roving bovines" had escaped from their farm and headed to a nearby yard, according to Connecticut state Trooper Zachary Cash.

In a video posted on Facebook by state police Troop E Montville on Friday, the cows can be seen moving toward the center of the dark road, as Cash drives slowly behind and farmers jog along either side of the cattle. Police called the chase a "High Steaks Pursuit."

Cash said troopers first headed down to Beriah Lewis Farm on Boombridge Road to let the farmer know his cows were on the run. State police have gotten calls of roaming cattle in the area, near the North Stonington rotary at the intersection of Route 184 and Route 2, a few times before.

"Typically the cows are just outside the gate and we kind of just have to guide them back in," Cash said. "But this time they were about a half a mile down the road in somebody's yard."

A team of troopers and farmers worked together to get the cows back to safety, with Cash blocking traffic while farmers, holding their arms out wide to guide them, walked with the cows toward the farm.

"Local ranchers and troopers were able to get the cows to mooooove along the road and back to their pasture, preventing an udder disaster," state police said in the Facebook post.

It took about 40 minutes to get the cows back where they belonged, said Cash, who said the animals "moved a lot faster" than he expected.

Drivers stuck behind the herd were patient during the delay, watching as the dozen cows made their way back home.

"They kind of understood that we all had to work together to get the cows back to where they belong," Cash said. All the cows made it back to the farm safely.

thartz@theday.com