Tips for Planning Ahead and Protecting Livestock During Disasters

Jun 27, 2023

Educate Yourself on Potential Emergencies

Understanding the range of emergencies that can occur in your region is crucial. In addition to hurricanes and floods, be mindful of everyday challenges like droughts, extreme temperatures, and other hazards that can affect the well-being of your livestock. Stay informed about local risks and prepare accordingly, leveraging resources like the FEMA app for alerts and hazard information.

Prepare a Well-Stocked Emergency Kit

Ensure that your livestock has access to essential supplies by assembling a comprehensive emergency kit, which should include:

Adequate feed and water provisions
Necessary supplements
Up-to-date veterinary records
Proof of ownership documents
Essential supplies such as ropes, halters, cleaning tools, and knives

Regularly assess and replenish the contents of your kit to ensure readiness.

Devise an Effective Evacuation Strategy

In situations where evacuation becomes necessary, plan to safeguard your livestock:

Identify suitable destinations, including friends, relatives, or designated livestock evacuation locations such as fairgrounds.
Make advance arrangements for transportation to move your animals safely.
Mitigate Risks When Leaving Livestock Behind

When evacuation is not feasible, take proactive measures to protect your animals:

Assign unique identification (microchips, ear/leg tags, brands) to each animal.
Construct robust shelters capable of withstanding severe weather conditions, positioning them on elevated ground to avoid flooding.
Provide ample food and water to sustain your livestock for an extended period.
Ensure warm and dry bedding during cold weather or heavy rain.
Offer cooling options like shade, sufficient water sources, open barn doors, fans, or sprinklers during excessively hot periods.
Establish Support Networks

Select a reliable neighbor who can care for your livestock if you are unable to do so during a disaster. Share your evacuation plan, location of the emergency kit, and contact details with them. Reach out to local authorities for assistance when needed, as specialized response teams such as the National Animal Health Emergency Response Corps can address livestock-related disasters and disease outbreaks effectively.

By developing a well-structured plan, you can significantly enhance the safety of your livestock during times of crisis.

Source : wisconsinagconnection

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.