Photo: GettyThousands ofcattledied during a recent heat wave in Kansas, according to state officials.Matthew Lara, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, told PEOPLE that at least 2,000 cattle died due to the intense heat and humidity that recently descended on Southwest Kansas.Lara added that the current cattle death total only represents the facilities that have contacted the agency to assist with the disposal of dead cattle.“The combination of high temperatures, humidity, and not a lot of wind made it difficult for thecowsto stay cool,” Lara explained.AJ Tarpoff, a beef extension veterinarian for Kansas State University, toldTheHutchinsonNewsthat the conditions were “kind of a perfect storm.““So when cattle accumulate heat load and have heat stress, it’s temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation that all play a key role,” Tarpoff told the outlet. “Thankfully, it’s a rare event.“Scarlett Hagins, vice president of communications for the Kansas Livestock Association, toldThe Hutchinson Newsthat the animals were unable to adapt to the sudden increase in temperature.“Out in the western Kansas area, there was that area that saw a 10- to 14-degree increase in temperature from that Friday to Saturday — kind of almost overnight, and the humidity increased pretty rapidly,” she said. “They saw very little wind and they weren’t cooling off at night.“The deaths come as the cattle industry in the U.S. continues to struggle with reduced herds due to drought and increased feed costs as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine causes limitations on the global grain supply, according toReuters.The state of Kansas is home to more than 2.4 million cattle making it the country’s third-largest supplier behind Texas and Nebraska, the outlet reported.
Photo: Getty
Thousands ofcattledied during a recent heat wave in Kansas, according to state officials.Matthew Lara, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, told PEOPLE that at least 2,000 cattle died due to the intense heat and humidity that recently descended on Southwest Kansas.Lara added that the current cattle death total only represents the facilities that have contacted the agency to assist with the disposal of dead cattle.“The combination of high temperatures, humidity, and not a lot of wind made it difficult for thecowsto stay cool,” Lara explained.AJ Tarpoff, a beef extension veterinarian for Kansas State University, toldTheHutchinsonNewsthat the conditions were “kind of a perfect storm.““So when cattle accumulate heat load and have heat stress, it’s temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation that all play a key role,” Tarpoff told the outlet. “Thankfully, it’s a rare event.“Scarlett Hagins, vice president of communications for the Kansas Livestock Association, toldThe Hutchinson Newsthat the animals were unable to adapt to the sudden increase in temperature.“Out in the western Kansas area, there was that area that saw a 10- to 14-degree increase in temperature from that Friday to Saturday — kind of almost overnight, and the humidity increased pretty rapidly,” she said. “They saw very little wind and they weren’t cooling off at night.“The deaths come as the cattle industry in the U.S. continues to struggle with reduced herds due to drought and increased feed costs as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine causes limitations on the global grain supply, according toReuters.The state of Kansas is home to more than 2.4 million cattle making it the country’s third-largest supplier behind Texas and Nebraska, the outlet reported.
Thousands ofcattledied during a recent heat wave in Kansas, according to state officials.
Matthew Lara, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, told PEOPLE that at least 2,000 cattle died due to the intense heat and humidity that recently descended on Southwest Kansas.
Lara added that the current cattle death total only represents the facilities that have contacted the agency to assist with the disposal of dead cattle.
“The combination of high temperatures, humidity, and not a lot of wind made it difficult for thecowsto stay cool,” Lara explained.
AJ Tarpoff, a beef extension veterinarian for Kansas State University, toldTheHutchinsonNewsthat the conditions were “kind of a perfect storm.”
“So when cattle accumulate heat load and have heat stress, it’s temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation that all play a key role,” Tarpoff told the outlet. “Thankfully, it’s a rare event.”
Scarlett Hagins, vice president of communications for the Kansas Livestock Association, toldThe Hutchinson Newsthat the animals were unable to adapt to the sudden increase in temperature.
“Out in the western Kansas area, there was that area that saw a 10- to 14-degree increase in temperature from that Friday to Saturday — kind of almost overnight, and the humidity increased pretty rapidly,” she said. “They saw very little wind and they weren’t cooling off at night.”
The deaths come as the cattle industry in the U.S. continues to struggle with reduced herds due to drought and increased feed costs as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine causes limitations on the global grain supply, according toReuters.
The state of Kansas is home to more than 2.4 million cattle making it the country’s third-largest supplier behind Texas and Nebraska, the outlet reported.
source: people.com
