Damage To Nebraska Livestock Industry Unknown At This Point

It could take a long time for USDA and other Ag officials to know the true extent of livestock losses in Nebraska from not only flooding but blizzards this winter.  Bobbie Kris-Wickham with the Nebraska FSA said they've been fielding a lot of calls from producers who are reporting lost livestock.  Not just dead, but livestock that can't be accounted for.

Kris-Wickham said right now it's hard to get a handle on the situation.

"Just because there are plenty of producers that are still assessing their situation trying to figure out how many cattle they may have lost for sure."

And without solid numbers it's hard to know just what the overall effect on Nebraska's beef cattle industry will be or how it might effect things on a National scale.  But, as USDA Livestock analyst Shayle Shagam points out, Nebraska is an important feedlot state, with "2.6 million head of cattle on feed on March 1st."

That comes out to 22% of the national feedlot inventory.  And additional flooding is expected in the weeks to come with snowpacks melting up river in Montana and the Dakotas.

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