High feed costs take toll on livestock
By Molly Montag | Posted: Sunday, October 26, 2008
BUTTE, Neb. -- Nebraska officials believe high feed costs are one reason they've found hundreds of cattle allegedly starved to death -- sometimes entire herds -- since the beginning of the year. And while such incidents have been rare in Siouxland, one local animal control official is preparing for the worst.
Investigators haven't had to go out of their way to find dead cattle in Nebraska, where 6.5 million head roam. Since early this year, three cases of alleged starvation deaths involving a total of about 240 cattle have been reported in Nebraska -- more than some officials can recall.
"Neglect cases are on the rise, and what's causing it, I'm not sure," said Steven Stanec, executive director of the Nebraska Brand Committee, a state agency that helps police the cattle industry. "We're having whole herds of hundreds of cattle being neglected."
The latest case of alleged neglect in Nebraska surfaced earlier this month about 130 miles southwest of Omaha, where officials said they found many of the cows in a herd of about 80 near death at a defunct dairy farm in Fairbury. Animals have also been found starved to death in Merrick County near Grand Island and Red Willow County.
Cindy Rarrat, owner of Sioux City Animal Control, said local officials are bracing for large-scale animal starvation cases, but haven't seen any yet.
Although there's no clear-cut cause with the Nebraska cases, officials believe high hay and feed prices are a factor.
"With the economy getting so bad it's going to be hard to feed your families let alone your large animals or your livestock," Rarrat said.
Siouxland isn't immune, however.
In May, officials discovered approximately 350 dead hogs that had starved or frozen to death months earlier near Edna, Iowa.
The animals' caretaker, Todd Steenhoven, 34, later pleaded guilty to one count each of misdemeanor charges of failure to dispose of dead animals and animal neglect.
He was sentenced to one year in jail, but only had to serve two weeks with the rest suspended upon completion of his 1-year probation.
Although owners in some of the Nebraska cases didn't face charges, Rarrat said local officials will aggressively prosecute accusations of cruelty and neglect.
"Anybody who does anything like that will be brought up on charges for neglect, abandonment and cruelty to animals," she said.
There's no need for that, Rarrat said, because owners of all animals -- from housepets to livestock -- always have options.
A few weeks ago, animal control officials gladly found a home for a horse a Sioux City man surrendered because he could no longer afford to take care of it.
"He did the right thing rather than let it starve," Rarrat said.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Investigators haven't had to go out of their way to find dead cattle in Nebraska, where 6.5 million head roam. Since early this year, three cases of alleged starvation deaths involving a total of about 240 cattle have been reported in Nebraska -- more than some officials can recall.
"Neglect cases are on the rise, and what's causing it, I'm not sure," said Steven Stanec, executive director of the Nebraska Brand Committee, a state agency that helps police the cattle industry. "We're having whole herds of hundreds of cattle being neglected."
The latest case of alleged neglect in Nebraska surfaced earlier this month about 130 miles southwest of Omaha, where officials said they found many of the cows in a herd of about 80 near death at a defunct dairy farm in Fairbury. Animals have also been found starved to death in Merrick County near Grand Island and Red Willow County.
Cindy Rarrat, owner of Sioux City Animal Control, said local officials are bracing for large-scale animal starvation cases, but haven't seen any yet.
Although there's no clear-cut cause with the Nebraska cases, officials believe high hay and feed prices are a factor.
"With the economy getting so bad it's going to be hard to feed your families let alone your large animals or your livestock," Rarrat said.
Siouxland isn't immune, however.
In May, officials discovered approximately 350 dead hogs that had starved or frozen to death months earlier near Edna, Iowa.
The animals' caretaker, Todd Steenhoven, 34, later pleaded guilty to one count each of misdemeanor charges of failure to dispose of dead animals and animal neglect.
He was sentenced to one year in jail, but only had to serve two weeks with the rest suspended upon completion of his 1-year probation.
Although owners in some of the Nebraska cases didn't face charges, Rarrat said local officials will aggressively prosecute accusations of cruelty and neglect.
"Anybody who does anything like that will be brought up on charges for neglect, abandonment and cruelty to animals," she said.
There's no need for that, Rarrat said, because owners of all animals -- from housepets to livestock -- always have options.
A few weeks ago, animal control officials gladly found a home for a horse a Sioux City man surrendered because he could no longer afford to take care of it.
"He did the right thing rather than let it starve," Rarrat said.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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