Cows killed by Allies

Chances are, these cows were killed by Allied bombing. Most of the bombers could not see their targets, and as a result much cattle and many French civillians were killed.

Germans well-fed in France

The German Army in France were well-fed, as they had access to farms and towns. The particular soldiers in the machine gun nest were far removed from the actions on the beaches and would not have had much difficulty in maintaining a supply route, at least not that soon after the landings. Those soldiers would have no need to field dress the cows and cook them over an open fire.

Milk Cows

Normandy was farm country. Almost any story you read about the invasion refers to the dairy cows everywhere. Beef wasn't that precious at this time of the war, or in this area. Besides, the Germans didn't kill the cows; US salvos did. Didn't you notice all the big craters in the ground? Do you think the Germans were bombing their own position?

Ever hear of a dairy cow?

There were plently of cows wondering around Normandy in June of 1944. Even the germans drank milk, ate cheese, and used butter. The unlucky cows were caught in a crossfire or artillery barrage and killed. They usually laid there for several days, hardly good eating.

Wrong

The Germans wouldn't have eaten the cows. The Germans, in fact, were quite respectful of the French farmers' property. The cows could have easily have wandered into the Germans' kill zone. But you're right that the Germans didn't kill the cows. They just happened to put their bunker in a cow pasture, not at all uncommon. The cows were killed by allied aerial bombardment. Remember that this German bunker was a fortified radar tower. This accounts for all the shell craters (and dead livestock) around the hill.

WHAT?!?!?

This has to be the worst nitpick on the whole site. First of all, did you notice those large craters around the cows? They were killed by US artillery firing at the radar station. Secondly, Normandy was fairly unfazed by the occupation. Life was pretty normal, all things considered, and it was dairy country. Those were dairy cows. They weren't killed by the Germans. Beef wasn't in short supply.

Animals Were Killed by Bombs

Who even hinted that the Germans shot the cows? No one! In the movie, you see the dead cows getting hit by machine gun fire, but they were long dead by then.\rThe others are correct, most of the cows, and horses, killed were killed by bombing and artillery fire. My father, (RCE) who was there, was given the task many times to bulldoze large pits and bury the dead animal carcasses, as they would spread disease if they just layed there in the open. He buried a lot of men, both ours & the enemy, in temporary graves as well, for the same reason.