Two South Dakota livestock groups are organizing fundraising to help ranchers who lost thousands of cattle in a severe blizzard Oct. 5-6 that also hit Colorado and Wyoming.
Some parts of South Dakota saw as much as 48 centimetres of snow.
The number of cattle lost was still being calculated as drifts began to disappear in warming weather last week.
Rain, heavy snow and high winds led to hypothermia and suffocation for cattle still out on summer range. The storm drove many to seek shelter in creek bottoms and along fence lines, where they died.
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“There was just a combination of factors that made this especially devastating,” said Jodie Anderson, executive director of the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association.
“First and foremost was, it was a very heavy rain followed by a really heavy, wet snow and bad winds in the (100 to 110 km-h) range. That combination of factors, these cattle were just soaked to the bone when that wind picked up, and they didn’t have their winter coats on.”
Cattle were still on summer pasture, which has less protection than winter range.
Anderson said Oct. 8 that she had heard anecdotal reports of losses from a few head to a few hundred, but expected to have a better estimate in coming days.
“We’re finding live cattle miles and miles from where they’re supposed to be. It’s just kind of a mess,” she said.
“I think it’s really going to take an emotional toll in addition to a financial one.”
Ranchers seeking information on potential compensation are being frustrated by the current turmoil in the U.S. government, which is virtually shut down during a budget impasse.
“It’s definitely adding to the confusion,” Anderson said. “One of the big factors right now is, when I’m being asked are there insurance programs or what can these producers do, we don’t have a farm bill so the disaster assistance programs that would normally be available aren’t currently available to these folks. Even if the government was operating, we don’t have a farm bill that would be authorizing programs to help.”
“Early estimates just in the state of South Dakota are showing losses of 15 to 20 percent of entire herds,” U.S. National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson said in an Oct. 7 news release.
In the absence of other assistance, Anderson said her organization is working with the South Dakota Stock-growers Association to develop a fund-raising plan to help affected ranchers. Once finalized, details will be available on the SDCA website at www.sdcattlemen.org.
