Hell hath no fury compared to a northern plains blizzard, but the Herefords survived it.
I am not even sure what to say, but I will give you an update. 2-4 inches of rain at 40 degrees and dropping until it started to snow. Anywhere from a foot to 4 feet of snow, the heavy wet kind. The whole time the wind was from 40-60. Lasted all of 2+ days. We hadn't even had a frost yet. A week ago it was 90 degrees and with the fall moisture there was some green grass. Cattle didn't have the winter hair and most were still is summer pasture. With the rain first it really didn't matter. I moved some to winter pasture and they drifted to the fence anyway. There is also a lot of crop left in the field and the trees did all have the leaves. Now most leaves don't have trees.
ses are devastating. I was on the Eastern edge. East of me the losses were minimal. Close by here they will average 10-20%. North and West,,,,,,,?????????? I know of cattle that drifted 15 miles, dead ones at every fence before they broke through. Every snowbank also. I know of more than one bunch that just walked into a dam because the water was warmer than the air. A couple dams they drifted into and walked across after it was full of deads. There are some that were unlucky and lost over 50% some were lucky and didn't. I herd of a guy that locked his in where he feeds calves all winter and lost 30 crowding in an open shed. I only know of 3 that lost nothing and I am one. Almost feel guilty. I am helping a neighbor tomorrow sort. Every bunch has several owners after the drift. It will be a long and slow process to sort owners. Calves without mothers won't want to go any direction.
I do think the Hereford blood saved me. Thicker hides and less likely to tear things down saved them. My herd bulls were out as open as anything and even though they walked over one fence they just stood it at the next one. Cows and bred heifers just stood it where they were. Not 300 yards from where my cows stood it there was a black bunch drifted to the creek where they couldn't cross and 4 dead there out of 50.
Not sure what else to say, my mind is mush. I am sure the Colorado flood was every bit as bad or worse. Seems like there was somwhee else devastated by sudden death also but we will just do what all our forefathers did, pick ourselves up an keep on. Some will be done and that is too bad. I am sure that will mean more land farmed up but progress will happen. I plan on standing in the way of farming progress as long as possible though.
