Wildfires continue in the Texas panhandle, burning nearly 1.25 million acres in just over a week.
“The loss is devastating and very substantial,” says Texas A&M Extension Agent Andy Holloway in Hemphill County, Texas. He’s been traveling around the county to assess losses and damage.
“There are rows of dead cattle and it’s hard for me to say yet specific numbers, but I do know that in my communications with some of the ranchers that the death loss is significant.”
Holloway says these ranchers will have a hard time recovering financially from the tragic fires.
“The value of these cattle is at record highs. And so, when just a 500-pound calf dies, right now that’s over a $1,500 loss for that one calf, and that doesn’t count his mother… The insurance is a help, but my goodness, with the situation we’re in with the market, it’s not near enough money to replace what they’ve lost.”
Relief efforts are underway as ranchers continue to look for lost cattle and relocate cattle that survived to areas less prone to fire events. Hay and cattle cubes are needed for feed.
Texas Farm Bureau has set up the Texas Panhandle Wildfire Relief Fund.
“Anyone can donate- individuals, companies, corporations,” says Texas Farm Bureau President Russel Boening. “We take all of those dollars and use none of them for administration. We try to get all those dollars to farmers and ranchers.”
