Tens of thousands of cattle died in last weekend's blizzard in western South Dakota. Up to four feet of snow fell around Sioux Falls, taking a heavy toll on local livestock ranchers and their businesses, USA Today reports.
Other areas received 20 inches or more of snow, including Rapid City, where a record-breaking 21½ accumulated. According to state officials, at least 10,000 to 20,000 cows across the region lost their lives in the cold, and that number will likely rise.
Rancher Heath Ferguson told The Associated Press that most ranchers don't have insurance to cover storm-related damage. The blizzard killed 96 percent of his own herd of 100 black Angus and Limousin cattle, costing him around $250,000.
"It's cost-prohibitive for a producer [to get storm-related insurance]," he told The Associated Press on Sunday. "Unless you're a really big operator, you can't afford to pay for the insurance."
During such a crisis, cattle ranchers would typically turn to the federal Livestock Indemnity Program, but the program is currently on lockdown amid the continuing government shutdown, and the AP reports that its "future is in flux."
"We're an independent, pretty self-sufficient bunch, but we need help," Ferguson said of his fellow ranchers.
The South Dakota Stockgrowers Association estimates that at least five percent of western South Dakota's cattle have been lost, most of which are raised for beef. Livestock owners are encouraged to document their losses with pictures of the deceased animals, as well as vaccination and hauling receipts in the event that disaster payments are made available in the future.
"There's an awful lot of producers out here that sold our herds down because of the drought," Ferguson said. "A lot of people are into the financial institutions pretty hard."
