kris
Well-known member
Thousands of livestock lost in trio of snowstorms
By The Associated Press - 04/25/2009
BILLINGS (AP) — Ranchers in southeastern Montana lost thousands of cattle and sheep as back-to-back-to-back snowstorms dumped up to 6 feet of snow on the area between March 23 and April 3.
Mike Riley, Farm Service Agency executive director for Powder River County, said as of Thursday 152 producers had reported the loss of 1,759 calves and cows and 501 lambs and sheep. He says another 28 ranchers could not tell him how much livestock they lost.
He expects to receive reports through next week.
Ronelia Parry, with the FSA in Carter County, said she'd heard from 120 producers who lost animals, but doesn't have any totals yet. She says some ranchers have lost as many as 40 to 80 calves.
"It's going to be in the thousands," she said.
David Wolff, who runs about 360 cattle on his ranch south of Ekalaka estimates he lost 13 percent to 15 percent of his calves.
"There was just so much snow, the calves suffocated under the drifts," he said.
Wolff said he doesn't think he'll ever know how many calves he lost.
"I know there were animals that went down the creek," he said.
Wolff lives on Box Elder Creek, which spread out across his pastures when it overflowed its banks as the snow melted.
"I've never seen this much water," said Wolff, who had to push up dikes to keep the water from reaching his house and shop. He also lost fencing.
The death toll is not the only effect of the trio of storms that hit on March 23, March 29 and April 3.
Cows and calves stressed by the wet and cold are more susceptible to illness.
"We're still seeing the effects," said Mary Rumph, a rancher and Powder River County extension agent. "We've been treating for scours (diarrhea), pneumonia and diphtheria." The first calf is hard on 2-year-old heifers under ordinary circumstances, Rumph said. The sustained cold, wind and snow made it much more difficult.
After branding last Sunday, Rumph found that the calves that survived the storm were in good shape, but their mothers showed strain.
"The cows are thinner than I've ever seen," she said.
Normally, the cows would be bred again in June, but Rumph worries they may not be ready by then.
Heifers that lost their calves during the storm are often difficult to breed again in the spring, said Nico Cantalupo, Carter-Fallon County extension agent. He said it may not be feasible for ranchers to keep — and feed — those cows.
The storm also took an emotional toll, said Rumph, who fed 10 calves three times a day during the first snowstorm, only to see some of them die in the second blizzard.
"It's such an emotional loss when you're trying to do your very best to take care of your animals and there's nothing you can do," she said. "I think I've cried more in the last three weeks than I have in the last 10 years." Rumph said there's at least one good thing to come out of the series of storms. "There's going to be a lot of hay for next winter."
By The Associated Press - 04/25/2009
BILLINGS (AP) — Ranchers in southeastern Montana lost thousands of cattle and sheep as back-to-back-to-back snowstorms dumped up to 6 feet of snow on the area between March 23 and April 3.
Mike Riley, Farm Service Agency executive director for Powder River County, said as of Thursday 152 producers had reported the loss of 1,759 calves and cows and 501 lambs and sheep. He says another 28 ranchers could not tell him how much livestock they lost.
He expects to receive reports through next week.
Ronelia Parry, with the FSA in Carter County, said she'd heard from 120 producers who lost animals, but doesn't have any totals yet. She says some ranchers have lost as many as 40 to 80 calves.
"It's going to be in the thousands," she said.
David Wolff, who runs about 360 cattle on his ranch south of Ekalaka estimates he lost 13 percent to 15 percent of his calves.
"There was just so much snow, the calves suffocated under the drifts," he said.
Wolff said he doesn't think he'll ever know how many calves he lost.
"I know there were animals that went down the creek," he said.
Wolff lives on Box Elder Creek, which spread out across his pastures when it overflowed its banks as the snow melted.
"I've never seen this much water," said Wolff, who had to push up dikes to keep the water from reaching his house and shop. He also lost fencing.
The death toll is not the only effect of the trio of storms that hit on March 23, March 29 and April 3.
Cows and calves stressed by the wet and cold are more susceptible to illness.
"We're still seeing the effects," said Mary Rumph, a rancher and Powder River County extension agent. "We've been treating for scours (diarrhea), pneumonia and diphtheria." The first calf is hard on 2-year-old heifers under ordinary circumstances, Rumph said. The sustained cold, wind and snow made it much more difficult.
After branding last Sunday, Rumph found that the calves that survived the storm were in good shape, but their mothers showed strain.
"The cows are thinner than I've ever seen," she said.
Normally, the cows would be bred again in June, but Rumph worries they may not be ready by then.
Heifers that lost their calves during the storm are often difficult to breed again in the spring, said Nico Cantalupo, Carter-Fallon County extension agent. He said it may not be feasible for ranchers to keep — and feed — those cows.
The storm also took an emotional toll, said Rumph, who fed 10 calves three times a day during the first snowstorm, only to see some of them die in the second blizzard.
"It's such an emotional loss when you're trying to do your very best to take care of your animals and there's nothing you can do," she said. "I think I've cried more in the last three weeks than I have in the last 10 years." Rumph said there's at least one good thing to come out of the series of storms. "There's going to be a lot of hay for next winter."
Anyone know?