South Dakota cattle ranchers struggle to recover after devastating snowstorm

State waits on Congress farm bill talks after October blizzard which killed up to a third of some ranchers' stocks

• Associated Press in Philip, South Dakota
• theguardian.com, Monday 28 October 2013 09.48 EDT

Rancher Joe Carley works at the Philip Livestock Auction in Philip, South Dakota. Photograph: Chet Brokaw/AP

Joe Carley has nearly finished burying the cattle he lost in a freak early fall blizzard that killed tens of thousands of cattle in western South Dakota. Now, he is figuring out how to dig himself out of the financial hole left after about a quarter of his cows and maybe a third of his calves died in the storm.
"There's some sleepless nights. There's a lot of worry. My brain's always rolling. We're pulling ourselves out of it, you know. We're trying to figure things out and step forward," said Carley, 40, of Philip, during a break from herding cattle at the local livestock sale barn, where he works to help make ends meet.
Other ranchers in the area also don't plan to give up, despite what state officials have estimated as a loss of 15,000 to 30,000 cattle in the 4-5 October storm that dumped up to 4ft of snow in some parts. The financial loss is staggering, with each calf worth more than $1,000 and each pregnant cow worth $1,500 to $2,000. To make matters worse, most ranchers were only a few weeks away from selling the calves born last spring – their paycheck for the year.
Ranchers like Carley may get low-interest loans or loan guarantees from a US Agriculture Department program and could get some help from a relief fund set up by livestock organizations that have so far collected donations of $400,000 from people in nearly every state and some other countries. A Montana organization is asking ranchers in that state to donate heifers that can be given to help South Dakota ranchers rebuild their herds.
Ranchers also could get a big boost if a federal livestock disaster program that expired in 2011 is revived in a new farm bill. The House and Senate versions of the new farm bill include provisions to do so and to provide retroactive payments, but the two chambers have been unable to agree on a farm bill after passing different versions several months ago. Spurred partly by the disaster, the House and Senate now plan to restart negotiations.
"Anything will help, I guess," said Carley, who lost 51 cows and 70 calves. "We're not asking for handouts, either, but there are a lot of people in need around here."

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Ranchers in South Dakota lost tens of thousands of cattle from a freak storm. Thanks to the shutdown, no one is paying attention

South Dakota's cattle cataclysm: why isn't this horror news?

• • Carrie Mess
  • theguardian.com, Monday 14 October 2013 13.17 EDT

A dead cow is lifted from flooding in the aftermath of winter storm Atlas in South Dakota. Photograph: Lacey Weiss

If you aren't in the ag world, you most likely haven't heard about the devastating loss that ranchers in western South Dakota are struggling with after being hit by winter storm Atlas.
For some reason the news stations aren't covering this story. I don't understand why they wouldn't. This story has heartbreak, tragedy and even a convenient tie into the current government shutdown. Isn't that what the news is all about these days?
But the news isn't covering this story. Instead, it is spreading around on social media, and bloggers are writing from their ranches in South Dakota. Bloggers are trying to explain how the horrible happened. And now I am going to join them to tell you the part of the story that I know, and I am going to ask you to help these people, because if you are here reading this, I know you give a crap about these people.
Last weekend western South Dakota and parts of the surrounding states got their butts handed to them by Mother Nature. A blizzard isn't unusual in South Dakota, the cattle are tough and can handle some snow. They have for hundreds of years.
Unlike on our dairy farm in Wisconsin, beef cattle don't live in climate controlled barns. Beef cows and calves spend the majority of their lives out on pasture. They graze the grass in the spring, summer and fall and eat baled hay in the winter.
In winter these cows and calves grow fuzzy jackets that keep them warm and protect them from the snow and cold. The cows and calves live in special pastures in the winter. These pastures are smaller and closer to the ranch, and they have windbreaks for the cows to hide behind. They have worked for cows for hundred of years.
So what's the big deal about this blizzard?

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Up To 100,000 Cows Killed In Early S.D. Blizzard

CBS Evening News

Published on Oct 14, 2013

Livestock farmers in South Dakota are suffering after a record early blizzard that dumped four feet of snow and killed tens of thousands of cattle. The government shutdown has left ranchers unable to go to the government for help. Manuel Bojorquez reports.

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NBC News

Shutdown worsens historic blizzard that killed tens of thousands of South Dakota cattle

KNBN-TV

Rapid City and many other parts of South Dakota recorded record snowfall totals for the entire month of October in just three days over the weekend.

By M. Alex Johnson, Staff Writer, NBC News

An unusually early and enormous snowstorm over the weekend caught South Dakota ranchers and farmers unprepared, killing tens of thousands of cattle and ravaging the state's $7 billion industry — an industry left without assistance because of the federal government shutdown.
As many as 75,000 cattle have perished since the storm slammed the western part of the state Thursday through Saturday with snowfall that set records for the entire month of October in just three days, state and industry officials said.
Across the state, snow totals averaged 30 inches, with some isolated areas recording almost 5 feet, The Weather Channel reported.
The South Dakota Stock Growers Association estimated that 15 percent to 20 percent of all cattle were killed in some parts of the state. Some ranchers reported that they lost half or more of their herds.
The storm was accompanied by hurricane-force wind gusts, especially Friday night, which drove some herds seeking shelter miles from their ranches. A trail of carcasses left a gruesome sight, said Martha Wierzbicki, emergency management director for Butte County, in the northwestern corner of the state.

Parts of South Dakota are in cleanup mode after a strong winter storm pounded some areas. Kirsten Swanson of NBC station KNBN reports.

"They're in the fence line, laying alongside the roads," Wierzbicki told The Rapid City Journal. "It's really sickening."
Ranchers have no one to ask for help or reimbursement. That's because Congress has yet to pass a new farm bill, which subsidizes agricultural producers.


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Biological Hazard - State of North Dakota, [Adams County] : Anthrax - Bovine

Earth Watch Report - Biological Hazards

 English: Hallaway Dairy Farm in Delhi, New York, USA, September 1999. USDA Photo.
 ***Photo is simply a representation of Cattle in the US

 ....

06.06.2013

Biological Hazard

USA

State of North Dakota, [Adams County]

....

Biological Hazard in USA on Thursday, 06 June, 2013 at 05:41 (05:41 AM) UTC.

Description
North Dakota’s first case of anthrax this year has been confirmed in Hettinger County, and the state veterinarian said conditions are right for more cases. "A case of anthrax in an unvaccinated beef cow has been confirmed ... near the Adams County line, the first confirmed case in the state this year," said state veterinarian Susan Keller. "Producers should consult with their veterinarians to make sure the vaccination schedule for their animals is up to date," she said. Beth Carlson, deputy state veterinarian, said anthrax - which is caused by a naturally-occurring bacteria - is spread when animals graze or consume forage or water contaminated with spores produced by the bacteria. With the amount of rain received in the state, Carlson said, the water will move those spores around, increasing the chances of more reports. "Certainly, we will not be surprised if we see more cases," she said. Carlson said if producers have had a history of anthrax in their area, they should consult with their veterinarian on vaccinations. She said the vaccine is relatively inexpensive and very effective, but needs about a week to take effect. Anthrax, however, moves rapidly and is fatal within a day of symptoms appearing. Those symptoms include labored breathing, weakness and staggering and bloody discharges from body openings after death. Carlson said each year there are some confirmed cases of anthrax in the state and it has been found in nearly every part of the state, although most frequently it occurs in the northeast, southeast and south central areas. Cattle are not the only animals susceptible, she said. Sheep, horses, bison, deer - all animals that graze - are at risk. The worst outbreak of anthrax happened in 2005 when more than 500 cattle were confirmed to have died from the disease. Carlson said the death toll was likely more than 1,000 animals, however, because in cases when single animals died, those animals were not tested for the disease.
Biohazard name:	Anthrax
Biohazard level:	0/4 ---
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.

....  

North Dakota top veterinarian reports first animal anthrax case of 2013

North Dakota agriculture officials is advising livestock owners to take the appropriate actions to protect their animals from the lethal bacterial disease, anthrax, after a cow turned up positive, according to a North Dakota Department of Agriculture news release June 5.

Image/Agricultural Research Service/USDA

“A case of anthrax in an unvaccinated beef cow has been confirmed in Hettinger County near the Adams County line, the first confirmed case in the state this year,” said Dr. Susan Keller. “Producers should consult with their veterinarians to make sure the vaccination schedule for their animals is up to date.” Keller said effective anthrax vaccines are readily available, but that it takes about a week for immunity to be established, and it must administered annually. Anthrax has been most frequently reported in northeast, southeast and south central North Dakota, but it has been found in almost every part of the state,” she said. “With the precipitation we have had, conditions are right for the disease to occur,” she said. Anthrax is a pathogen in livestock and wild animals. Some of the more common herbivores are cattle, sheep, goats, horses, camels and deers. It infects humans primarily through occupational or incidental exposure with infected animals of their skins.   Read Full Article Here .... ....