Californiaman Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 100,000 catle died in a South Dakota freak-blizzard. How's that going to effect the price of beef? Milod: Your thoughts. Read all about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 I'll let Sen. John Thune, R-SD, explain some of it. I've talked with folks who lost 4,000 sheep and some who lost functionally their whole herd of 400 cows and their calves. One rancher found a cow and calf standing on what had become bare ground - both dead but left standing where they succumbed to a day of over 2 inches of rain followed by 2-3 feet of snow in 60 mph winds... then again heavy cold rain and 60-mph winds. Devastating. But in theory, note that this is a region of mostly what's called a "cow-calf operation." That means mama cows and their March calves that were about to be taken off that nice "summer pasture" on the high plains and sold at market. They died instead. Market would have put them to feed lots elsewhere and then to go into the food chain next year. They ain't gonna be there instead. In my county alone - that's about the size of the whole state of Delaware - estimates are 10,000 cows and 10,000 calves. It could be double that when the carcasses are counted. They're lying on roadways too; some strayed as much as 12 miles in the storm. Worse is the long term effect for those who lost all or a majority of their herds: Replacing the genetics involved could take several human, not bovine generations. The early storm catching of them on summer pasture brought what's probably the worst livestock kill in memory, including the devastating 1949 storm that was followed by subzero temperatures for a month or so. The wet and wind, cold and wind, then more wet and wind kills as certainly as a bomb. Ranch families with little but their land left, taxes unpaid and the bank owed for operations of a year? One lady friend whose family lost all their herd said if someone in the family dies, you keep going with daily work; these folks have no daily work left. We'll see about the supermarket. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Just when you think things can't get any worse.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted October 16, 2013 Share Posted October 16, 2013 BTW, Cali... Scott Reder's a friend. Also a past chairman of the Black Hills Roundup rodeo. He's a former rodeo rider too. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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