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More dead cattle reported in South DakotaABERDEEN, S.D. (AP)--The heat-related death toll for cattle in northeastern and east-central South Dakota continues to mount. Officials now estimate that 2,835 cattle were killed during the heat spell in late July. That's 1.4 percent of all cattle on feed in South Dakota on July 1. More death reports might come in, said Steve Magedanz of the Farm Service Agency's state office in Huron. Most of the animals were in close confinement in feedlots. Farmers say the combination of several days of soaring temperatures and high humidity proved fatal for the cattle. Brown County farmers have taken the biggest hit, with at least 1,500 cattle claimed in that county alone. Hundreds more cattle died in Spink, Marshall and Beadle counties. No other counties reported losses to the state office as of July 26, but Magedanz said that doesn't mean there weren't cattle deaths elsewhere. Temperatures climbed into the high 90s earlier during July's last full week, and heat indexes reached into the 100s. The heat index hit 109 at Aberdeen on July 25. Still air and high humidity July 23 contributed to the deaths, producers and officials said. Using a conservative market value of about $1,000 per head, the cattle casualties represent a loss of about $2.8 million. Insurance companies do not cover loss of cattle from heat-related causes, area producers said. The federal government might make emergency loans available. By state law, South Dakota producers with livestock death losses due to noncommunicable diseases must dispose of the carcasses within 36 hours by burning, burial at a depth of at least 4 feet or disposal by a licensed rendering plant. Date: 8/1/07
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