The snow is about melted, but the lingering effects of winter storm Goliath will stay with feedyards and stocker cattle producers in the Southern Plains for a while, according to Southwest Farm Press.

Producers continue to hunt and find stocker cattle that were lost during the blizzard. The latest report is that about 12,000 fed and feeder cattle died in the storm. Of those, about 4,000 were fed cattle. Many more wheat pasture cattle are still missing.

The wind and low temperatures also could have resulted in frozen teats and sensitive udders, says Ted McCollum, Texas AgriLife Extension beef cattle specialist in Amarillo. The udders of cows nursing calves may be sensitive, which could affect milk consumption by the calf for a few days.

If the teats were impaired by frostbite, then there may be some mastitis and/or partial loss of udder function, he says, advising those tending to the cattle to watch the calves and check the udders. “Also, cows that will be calving later this year could have been affected, but the effects may not be apparent until calving time and lactation,” McCollum said. “Again, observe the calves and the udders after calving.”

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