ABBEVILLE, KATC - As the community prepares for Francine, it’s important to have a plan for your livestock.
LSU AgCenter Livestock Assistant Abigail Sartin says being proactive will protect your animals and help them potentially avoid injury.
“Cattles get displaced in these types of events. They might get spooked, they might run through fences, they might end up in some place completely different because of the surges of the water, so we recommend having some permanent identification,” she said.
SAFETY TIPS
Do make sure your cattle has identifiable tags
Don’t contain or trap your animals in a barn (potential structural damage may cause physical injuries)
Do let them roam in a high ground, large pasture
Caring for the animals after the storm is also vital.
“When we see storms like this, we see a storm surge which brings salt water in and cattle can drink that for a little while, but they can’t sustain that. So, a lot of times we get them back and we think ‘oh, they are going to need water and food’. They do, but we don’t want them to have it like they would normally have it, you’re going to have to slowly reintroduce,” Sartin said.
If you need to evacuate your horse ahead of the storm, The Louisiana Equine Councilis trying to help. You can fill out a form on their Facebook page.
Louisiana Cattlemen's Association is another resource farmers can use. You can call 225-428-7163 or 985-520-7124 if you need help getting cattle out or if you are someone that can help.
