Janesville, Wisconsin (AP)

A white buffalo calf born in August was among five buffalo killed by lightning at a farm near Janesville farmer, Dave Heider said November 27.

Heider said he went to check on the animals the morning of November 27 before going to work, and the mother of the white buffalo calf was walking around, grunting, so Heider followed her up a hill to where he found the dead animals with burn marks, near a tree.

He said the lightning during a thunderstorm the night of Nov. 26 apparently hit the tree and all five buffalo.

Heider’s farm has seen the birth of three white buffalo – animals that are considered sacred by many tribes as omens of good fortune and peace.

The first white buffalo, Miracle, was born Aug. 20, 1994, and died in 2004.

A second white buffalo born in 1996 died after three days, Heider said.

He said the latest white buffalo calf was a male named Miracle’s Second Chance.

“He was born in a storm and died in a storm,” he said.