As Oklahomans and their nearby neighbors in Kansas endure wildfire season, Oklahoma State University Extension specialists offer tips to keep your livestock safe, as well as help with recovery efforts.
Livestock welfare after a fire
Monitoring surviving animals is crucial in the days after a wildfire, said Dr. Rosslyn Biggs, OSU Extension beef cattle specialist.
“We need to be thinking about long-term repercussions,” she said. “Thermal injuries, burns can be a big issue on these animals. We also need to be thinking about smoke inhalation and the systems that those affect.”
Enhanced monitoring of the surviving animals is crucial after a wildfire, Biggs explained. In addition to nutrition, hydration is key. Cows that are in the later stages of pregnancy need to be thought about, too. Consider their capacity to care for either calves on the ground or those they will soon birth.
Post-wildfire evaluation can lead to difficult decisions, too.
“It’s very important in these disaster-type situations that animal welfare needs to be our first consideration,” Biggs said. “How are those animals that have survived going to be able to recover from those injuries? In many cases, unfortunately, euthanasia may be the most humane decision that we have to make.”
Protecting horses during wildfires
Have your horses loaded and ready to go before you see a wildfire reach your property, said Dr. Kris Hiney, OSU Extension equine specialist.
“So many animals, when fire is coming, it causes panic,” Hiney said. “They may be harder to handle, so if trouble is coming, have the horses already up in a small lot where you can catch them. In a burning building, horses won’t want to leave, but now we’re talking about a threat to human safety as well.”
Horses will often be reluctant to leave an environment they deem safe, Hiney said. Keep the horses together and avoid isolating one horse at a time, as this could cause further panic.
Source : okstate.edu