Storm fallout | Couple saves 24 sheep buried in snow following an early October storm that killed thousands of animals
When a massive South Dakota storm abated after dropping a wind-driven four to six feet of snow, Tom and Karen Seaman of Newell, S.D., ventured out to find their sheep.
They’d been virtually housebound from Oct. 3 to 6 after the blizzard closed roads and knocked out power in the western half of the state. The early and severe storm caught them and other livestock producers with herds still on summer range.
As they drove about 40 kilometres to their rented pasture on Oct. 6, they saw carcasses of cattle that had huddled, suffocated and died of hypothermia during the storm’s worst blast. The sight fostered little hope they would find the missing members of their 800 head sheep flock.
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It was the sheepdog that pointed them to the side of a draw, with snow three to six feet deep. They dug, and found one sheep had survived. If there was one, there might be others, so they called in reinforcements.
“I think my parents were just completely surprised that they were able to dig them out alive,” said the Seamans’ daughter, Jessica Bean.
“It was a very crazy experience because you can’t imagine digging down that deep. You assume (the sheep are) going to be dead.”
After digging for most of a day, the crew managed to extract 24 weakened sheep from the snow bank.
They had been without food for roughly three days.
“Every one we pulled out, it was like we won the lottery, we were so excited. They were buried for quite some time because it would have to have happened at least Friday, just by the amount of snow that had covered them,” said Bean.
“They don’t think to get up and move when the snow starts building up because they’re just trying to survive.”
It appeared the animals’ body heat melted a small pocket of snow around them, insulating them against the brunt of the storm as snow accumulated.
At first the Seamans thought they’d lost more than 100 head but like other ranchers, they found their animals had wandered far and wide in search of shelter. In the end, they lost 14 sheep and considered themselves lucky.
Other ranchers have lost hundreds of animals, particularly cattle. Few carry insurance and government programs have been in turmoil since the U.S. government stalemate ended two weeks ago.
Several livestock organizations have set up a relief fund to help those affected.
“I feel guilty even saying how many we lost because so many others had such a worse outcome, but we got really lucky and we also said a lot of prayers,” Bean said.
Some cattle were reported to have wandered up to 50 km from their home pastures. Tens of thousands are estimated to have died and not all have yet been buried.
The storm began with heavy rain that soaked the cattle. High winds and heavy snow followed.
