1,100+ cattle dead from heat in S. D. (more to come)

[donsu]

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?cid=12557&cat=dis&lang=eng


More than 1,100 cattle are believed to have died during a two-day blast of heat and humidity in northeast South Dakota. "It had to be the humidity," said John Braun of the Braun feedlot south of Warner, where the weather killed 85 to 100 of the 4,500 cattle in a feedlot. The high on Monday in Aberdeen was 97. The heat index, which is related to humidity, hit 106. On Tuesday, the high was 92 in Aberdeen, with a heat index of 100. "It's a tough deal," said feedlot operator Ivan Sjovall of rural Langford. "We've lost more than a hundred, and there's going to be more." According to reports from producers and others, the toll included about 400 cattle at three feedlots in the Warner area, 400 in Spink County, and at least 330 in Marshall County. A 1,200-pound animal sold for slaughter at a current minimum market price of 80 cents per pound would represent a loss of $960.

Braun said his insurance adjuster told him Tuesday morning that he was not covered and that no insurance company offers coverage for loss of animals because of heat. State Veterinarian Sam Holland said fat cattle on feed _ which, for the most part, are what died this week _ have difficulty cooling their bodies because of their fat condition. Little or no wind and an abundance of flies also could be factors. Braun said cattle in his feedlot huddled together to protect themselves from flies, adding to their warmth. Producers have been spraying water on the animals to keep them cool. Holland said it is imperative to begin spraying in the morning before heat begins to stress animals. Holland said producers should have samples from dead animals checked by the State Veterinary Lab to rule out anthrax and other diseases as the cause of death, and carcasses must be burned, buried or removed by a rendering service within 36 hours.)
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because of climate change - a newly poor rancher?

let's see, how long will it take to replace those cattle in the food chain. 2 yrs.?

[TwilightGardener]

1. It gets pretty dang hot in South Dakota, believe it or not--

especially from Pierre to Rapid City--not unusual for the mercury to top 100 degrees for many days in a row. I lived there for four years. Visit the Badlands in August and you'll think you're in Death Valley.

[donsu]

2. does the heat kill over 1000 cattle every year?

nt

[TX-RAT]

3. I've raised cattle for over 25 years.

Here in west TX, where the heat regularly hits the triple digits and have never lost 1 cow due to heat. I've friends in south TX, where the heat index is equal to SD with the humidity and they seem to have no problems.

Something about this story smells.

[TwilightGardener]

5. I think it has more to do with the condition of the cattle and their environment

than the heat. Again, SD gets a lot of heat in the summer--it's normal--and I don't know what normal heat losses are from year to year, but the guy who was interviewed said that these cattle were being "finished" (putting on abnormal amounts of fat) and huddled together from the flies.

[LWolf]

4. Feedlots.

I've yet to see a feedlot that wasn't a horrendous place to be. Smell. Flies. Literally mountains of manure.



Personally, I don't consider a feedlot to be a "ranch."

Given space to spread out, access to shade, and having been kept "lean" on grass, I doubt the effects of a heat wave would be so devastating. I prefer grass-fed, range-finished beef, myself.