COLLEGE STATION, Texas – In 54 Texas counties where disasters have officially been declared due to Hurricane Harvey, more than 1.2 million beef cows normally live, according to a United States Department of Agriculture inventory report.

 “That’s 27 percent of the state’s cowherd,” said Dr. David Anderson, Texas A&M AgriLife extension service livestock economist in College Station, about 160 kilometres northwest of Houston.

“That’s a conservative estimate of beef cow numbers because 14 of those counties only have cattle inventory estimates.”

Anderson said a lot of calves in the affected areas are close or ready to be marketed. The disaster area also includes a large number of livestock auction markets and a major meat processing facility.

Police moving cattle to higher ground just outside Dayton, TX with team @contessabrewer @CNBC pic.twitter.com/yRuqvahPOw

— Harriet Taylor (@Harri8t) August 27, 2017