Police baffled after 11 dead cows wash up on Danish and Swedish beaches Eight dead cows have so far been found in Sweden, three more in Denmark All the animals had parts of their ears mutilated, and some were shot Police believe they may have been dumped from a transporter in the Baltic The mysterious appearance of nearly a dozen dead cows washed ashore on beaches in Denmark and Sweden has left the police forces in the two countries baffled. Scandinavian sleuths have been investigating after eight dead cows were found by visitors to Sweden's chilly Baltic coast and another three on the shores of its southern neighbour. All the animals had parts of their ears cut off, a mutilation that investigators suspect was inflicted to remove the identification tags used to trace the animals. Some had also been shot. Myserious: The carcass of a Holstein dairy cow photographed yesterday after it washed ashore on the beach between Bisserup and Skaelskoer on the South Western part of the Island of Zealand in Denmark Moodunnit? Scandinavian sleuths have been investigating after eight dead cows were found by visitors to Sweden's chilly Baltic coast and another three on the shores of its southern neighbour Detectives in Denmark and Sweden announced today that they are working on a hunch that the cows were probably dumped from a ship sailing in the Baltic Sea. They are trying to trace which livestock transports have passed through the waters separating the two countries in recent weeks. Dumping livestock like that is illegal in both countries. It's unclear, however, whether the cows were thrown overboard in Danish, Swedish or international waters. Post-mortem examination results showed that at least two of those which washed up in Sweden had been shot, said Malmoe deputy chief prosecutor Ingvar Wennersten. 'We assume that they were on a vessel, where they were put to death and thrown overboard,' he said. Off for a post-mootem: Autopsy results showed that at least two of those which washed up in Sweden had been shot, said Malmoe deputy chief prosecutor Ingvar Wennersten. The ears of others had been mutilated It's a moo-der mystery: Detectives in Denmark and Sweden announced on Thursday that they are working on a hunch that the cows were probably dumped from a ship sailing in the Baltic Sea, an act illegal in both countries Danish police officer Boje Joergensen told the Associated Press that the back legs of some of the cows had been bound with blue synthetic rope. This was probably done to be able to lift the animals up with a crane, he said. Veterinarians in Sweden found no traces of disease in the animals washed ashore there, Swedish police said. Police believe the cases are related as the cows were all black-and-white Holsteins.