Dive Brief:
- A severe winter storm enveloping Texas and other Southern states has left ranchers scrambling to protect their cattle, and is creating new risks for some fruit and citrus growers.
- States including Texas, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi are seeing unusual levels of snow and sleet due to a blast of arctic air that's not expected to dissipate until the weekend.
- While the weather conditions have provided some insulation for crops like peaches, ranchers across the South will need to take more precautions to ensure their livestock remain warm and fed.
Dive Insight:
Historic snowfall and freezing temperatures have created power disruptions and travel delays across much of the eastern half of the U.S. For livestock ranchers in particular, a lack of power and icy conditions will require more effort to keep cattle alive.
Karl Hoppe, a livestock systems specialist for the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center, said that ranchers need to prevent cows' water supply from freezing over.
"Once the water freezes and they quit drinking, they quit eating at the same time," Hoppe told the U.S. Department of Agriculture radio service.
Hoppe recommends adding heating elements below or in the water bowl, or manually chopping ice in water troughs to help livestock take a drink. Adequate feed is also important to ensure cattle can meet the added energy requirements needed to stay warm.
For other crops like peaches, however, the cold weather is welcome news. Peaches, apples, blueberries and other fruit trees often require a chilling period to properly grow. Colby Jones, manager of Alabama-based Durbin Farms Market, said in a video update that the icy weather is needed after a very hot year.
"This is really helping us right now," Jones said. "We are loving this cold weather."
However, for citrus fruits like oranges, prolonged exposure to cold temperatures can negatively affect production. Trees with fruit still on them are most susceptible to damage.
Mary Sutton, assistant professor and citrus extension specialist at the University of Georgia Agriculture, said freeze damage is irreversible and that growers needed to take preparations before the cold snap arrived to protect their fruits.
Irrigation and trunk covers are potential solutions to slow drops in temperatures and ensure trees can survive.
"We do have some concerns for some of the deep South crops including citrus in deep South Texas and then as you move eastward, we'll be watching Louisiana sugarcane," USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey said in a radio update.
