Blizzard of the Century aftermath in rural Minnesota livestock farms

Grants | Legacy Digitization | Topics | Business & Industry |
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A little over a week since the Blizzard of the Century on the Northern Plains. Damage estimate numbers on livestock lost. About 1 to 3 percent of livestock inventory, total 1.3 million dollars for seven county area. Farmer talks about dead cattle and damage from frostbite. On muzzles of cows, four to five inches of caked ice and snow on their muzzles and noses, tried to break this off so they could breathe and eat. Impossible to break it off with hands, so we had to use hammer, sounds like cruelty, but this is the only way we had to try and save them, but we took the hammer and busted this off the muzzles as much as we could. No death loss but problems with frozen hips and possible aborting. Farmer: I've been trying to starting farming since 1968 and doggone it, it ain't getting any better... Feeding in the middle of the yard, all I have is pushed up snow for a fence. Troubles just starting. Gangrene, all hind quarters turning black with hairs gone, it's unbelievable, I know I'll never forget it.

Funders

Digitization made possible by the State of Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, approved by voters in 2008.

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