US cattle ranchers are in a feed crisis after wildfires ripped through the Plains, torching pasturelands and killing cattle in Oklahoma and Kansas. Now, ranchers are desperate for hay and feed, and this all hits at a time when America’s cattle herd is already the smallest it’s been in 75 years. People are worried there’s just not enough beef, and prices are likely going up. In northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas, huge stretches of grazing land turned to what some firefighters called a “sea of sand.” The biggest fire, the Ranger Road Fire, tore through around 283,283 acres (114,640 hectares) before crews got it about 65% under control, at least according to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry.

Cattle Supplies at Historic Lows

The outbreak of fires is occurring at a critical moment for the cattle industry in the U.S. The country’s cattle supply is already at a historic low, having been driven by drought and high prices to the point where more cattle are being sent to market than are being kept for breeding.

Estimates indicate that Brazil has now surpassed the U.S. as the world’s largest beef producer, with the U.S. government reporting that retail prices for ground beef reached a record high of $6.75 per pound in January, a 22% increase from the previous year. U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to make beef more affordable, but the recent losses due to wildfires will add to the challenges.

Also Read: Power Outages Top 447,000 Amid Severe Winter Storm In Northeast US

Livestock Losses and Emergency Measures

Officials from Oklahoma and the industry have confirmed that cattle were killed in the fire, but there have not been any formal counts. Bryce Boyer, representative for the State of Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, stated that there has been “a huge amount of cattle loss” and there is a large quantity of hay that has also been destroyed.

In Kansas, ranchers have cut fences to allow their cattle to escape burning grass. Many cattle escaped, but some perished in the flames or were burned. Veterinarians are currently working to help producers save their injured cattle, but soon there will be a shortage of feed for cattle, regardless of whether they survived the fire.

Also Read: Mass Fish Release In Pune Aims To Revive Ecosystem Disrupted By Invasive Species

Recovery and Aid Efforts Underway

Recovery efforts and funding have begun, but because there is no grassland to support livestock, ranchers may have to wait until the pasture recovers before they can start paying workers again or buying feed supplies to keep their livestock alive. Efforts from outside of Oklahoma are being made as well.

Hay and feed donations are coming into Oklahoma from places as far as Montana and Michigan, and the Kansas Livestock Association is coordinating donations for support from Kansas, Wisconsin, and Illinois. As flames subside, US cattle ranchers are in a feed crisis, and the immediate priority remains clear: securing enough feed to prevent further losses.

Also Read: France Moves To Cull 200 Wolves, Aiming To Safeguard Livestock