By Julie Tomascik
Editor

Snow and ice blanket much of the Lone Star State, including Fisher County where farmers and ranchers are working to care for their livestock.

The moisture and cold temperatures from Winter Storm Landon arrived on Wednesday, Feb. 2, for Chris and Leindy Estes who live near Abilene.

“We had some rain. From the rain, it turned to sleet, and then the snow hit,” Leindy said. “I think the sleet is harder to deal with than the snow.”

The couple is spending their time feeding and checking cattle, but they especially pay attention to those cows that are calving. They make sure cattle have adequate feed and hay to help them maintain appropriate body temperatures and keep up their energy in the cold.

“Just keeping your eyes open to any little issue that a [cow-calf] pair might be having or just making sure there’s no health issues going on with them is important,” Leindy said. “We just keep an extra eye out for things like that during these conditions.”

But for many across the state, including Chris and Leindy, the ongoing drought has added challenges for this year’s cold weather. Pasture and rangeland conditions are below average, leaving livestock with limited grazing before the winter storm hit.

“We don’t have any wheat right now for wheat grazing. So, that’s put us in a bind,” Chris said. “And the fact is cattle have to be fed in these conditions. They can’t find anything on their own when you add in the snow and ice.”

They were already supplementing more feed this year due to the drought, but this week’s weather did bring some much-needed moisture.

Drought conditions have steadily expanded this year, with over 80% of the state facing some type of drought. Fisher and Jones counties, where the couple raises cattle, are both experiencing extreme drought levels, according to the Texas Water Development Board’s Water Weekly report.

“We’re hopeful the wheat won’t be too damaged and can benefit from the moisture,” Leindy said.

And thankfully, Chris said, this year’s winter storm hasn’t been as tough as Winter Storm Uri.

“Last year, we had a lot more ice to break, and this time it isn’t going to last as long,” he said. “This isn’t going to be nearly as bad as it was last year.”

Together, the couple will continue to feed and monitor their cattle throughout the winter storm. And temperatures are expected to warm up over the weekend, thawing the frozen moisture that will hopefully rejuvenate their ranch lands.