January 10, 2007
By Anthony A. Mestas
The Pueblo Chieftain
ROCKY FORD - Colorado Cattlemen’s Association officials say they still do not know the exact number of cattle killed in back-to-back snowstorms that pummeled the region last month, but estimate as many as 15,000 cattle may have died.
Photo: A dead cow in a field near Ulysses, Kan. after the powerful winter storm (AP)
The agency's guess is more than four times higher than the 3,500 range cattle and 1,400 confirmed dead in feedlots that state officials have estimated were killed.
State officials say the exact number of dead cattle will not be available for some time.
Traci Eatherton, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Cattlemen's Association, said Tuesday that the agency is estimating the final count of dead cattle will be between 10,000 and 15,000.
Eatherton said the state's estimate of 3,500 dead cattle is too low.
"I think we had those same numbers come out right after the first snowstorm, but with round two, and lots of cattle still missing, those numbers are way too low," Eatherton said.
Christi Lightcap, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Agriculture, said the state's numbers are not concrete.
"We have gotten reports of 3,500, but the problem is that those are not confirmed numbers and a large portion of the cattle are still under snow," Lightcap said.
Lightcap said that feedlots have reported their losses, but several ranchers still don't know where their free-range cattle are.
"We fully expect the number to go up because there is still a lot of cattle not found," she said.
"Unfortunately there just aren't any concrete numbers now," Lightcap added.
Eatherton said the Cattlemen's Association's estimate equates to more than $10 million lost to the region in cattle losses alone.
"When we start looking at the economic impact, we are looking at hardships well into the new year, including low birth weights on calves, health issues on mother cows, cows aborting, hay prices, and on and on," Eatherton said.
Eatherton said the association will not have final numbers of dead cattle until later in the year.
"Lots of them (ranchers) are still digging out, and searching; and some will continue to lose cattle well into the spring," Eatherton said.
"For example, some of the older cows that didn't get feed are very weak now and may or may not pull out of it."
David Mendenhall, who runs a cattle operation north of Timpas between Colorado 350 and Colorado 10, said he has not lost any cattle.
Mendenhall, who is a board member on the Cattlemen's Association, said he will not speculate as to how many cattle he thinks have been lost.
"At this point they (Cattlemen's Association) are just estimating. Until the real number comes out, I am not going to say anything," he said.
"You are not going to get a real accurate count until the snow melts. This is cold weather and it's going to stay with us for a while. That's going to be hard on the cattle," Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall said he has not heard as to the number of cattle lost in the area surrounding his ranch.
"I have been in contact with a few of my neighbors and they hadn't lost any cattle," Mendenhall said.
Chuck Hanagan, Farm Service director for Otero and Crowley counties, said an estimated 1,000 head of cattle are known to have been lost in Otero County.
"We are getting in bits and pieces. It's going to be several days before guys find all of their cattle," Hanagan said.
Chad Hart, Farm Service director in Prowers County, said ranchers in his area have reported less than 1,000 cattle being killed in the storm.
"We are getting reports back from ranchers of just two or three, or less than a dozen that are dead. We don't have a handle on everything, but range cattle is less than 1,000," Hart said.
"That number could grow. We are just glad that we haven't had the death loss (amounts) out here as people thought we did," Hart said
Another concern for ranchers is rounding up enough hay for their herds.
"The hay around here is expensive. It's going to be real expensive. Some people had hay before the storms and others didn't," Hart said.
Hanagan said the price of ground up hay is up to $110 a ton, while horse hay is about $170 a ton.
Cow alfalfa hay is about $120 a ton, Hanagan said.
"The hay prices are up because of the shortage of hay. We've gotten a lot more demand for it over the last couple of years," Hanagan said.
Mendenhall said most ranchers were short on hay because of the ongoing drought, and now the grass is under several feet of snow.
"Over the summer, some guys didn't get a lot of water and there wasn't any hay to be had so the hay went at a high price. The drought has a lot to do with it," Mendenhall said.
Hanagan said the winter kill on hay fields in the San Luis Valley also has contributed to the shortage of hay.
"The San Luis Valley took a big hit with all those fields that were winter-killed last year. There was some 30,000 acres of hay that was lost over there," Hanagan said.
Mendenhall said ranchers are bracing for another storm that weather forecasters say may hit Friday.
"How prepared can you be? I actually was prepared for the last storm, setting out feed because I knew it was coming," Mendenhall said.
Mendenhall said all of his cattle are in his yard.
"Mine are at home right here around the house, so I don't have to travel miles to go and feed them," he said.
Lightcap said this weekend's forecast for cold temperatures could possibly kill more cattle.
"People think this could be over, but with the cold temperature this weekend a lot of the cattle out there are facing pneumonia and other illnesses," she said.
Lightcap said ranchers have reported that once they had reached their livestock some cattle were too weak to eat.
"We are not only looking at losses from the blizzard, but also additional losses from the aftermath," Lightcap said.
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