Motorists on Interstate 55 Friday morning might have noticed amoooo-ving violation in progress.

Officials said a large white bull was reported on the interstatearound 7:11 a.m. Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop M Public AffairsOfficer Sgt. Rusty Boyd said the bull had gotten through a fencejust north of the 44-mile marker on the west side of theinterstate.

“He was on the southbound side of the interstate, and as Iunderstand it a trooper and the owner came out and it took severalof them to run him back in,” Boyd said.

Boyd did not know the identity of the bull’s owner. Boyd said itis not clear what the bull planned to do with his newfoundfreedom.

“We don’t know what his intentions were for being out,” he said,laughing. “Most of them that do that are courting. There may havebeen some cows on the other side of the road that we don’t knowabout.”

It is not unusual for Troop M to receive calls of livestock inthe roadway, Boyd said.

“We have a lot of it, I couldn’t tell you on average how many wehave a week, but it’s regular,” he said. “It’s pretty often we somekind of a call about something wandering around in the road – ifit’s not cows, it’s horses on the interstate.”

Boyd said that’s the reason it’s very important for livestockowners whose land butts up against interstates and highways towatch that their fencing is secure. A large animal can do seriousdamage to a vehicle, and can injure or even kill a driver.

“If the cow gets on the interstate or highway and gets hit, theyare liable for it,” Boyd said. “They need to keep their fences upbecause it could cost them if it gets out. That’s theirresponsibility.”