Nebraska farmers work to keep livestock safe in extreme heat

Triple digit heat has a lot of people and pets staying indoors. However, that isn’t necessarily an option for some animals. 

Dangerously high temperatures has farmers across the state taking precautions for their livestock.

A local farmer tells Channel 8 “what we do to try to keep the cattle comfortable in this type of heat situation, we do every day. We’ve got water out in the pasture where the cows are at…”

Paula Peterson, a farmer in Waverly, owns about 130 cattle. She says they are very lucky to have plenty of trees and small ponds to keep her cattle cool, as well as direct access to the farm from the pasture.

“So if they do run into water problems, they can come up here to the house and Drink in the fountains that we have up here in the house,” Peterson says. 

However, this isn’t the case for all farmers.

Peterson says, “there are a lot of farmers that have to take their cows to other pastures and they’re hauling water two or three times a day, cows drink an inordinate amount of water.”

Peterson reiterates that cows are tough. They adapt well to weather changes and get a lot of moisture and nutrients through the grass they eat. 

“They’re used to being outside it may be uncomfortable to us, because we go in and out all the time, it’s not much different than people who work outside for a living. They just get used to being in the heat,” she says. 

Peterson tells Channel 8 that it takes extreme circumstances for cattle to succumb to the heat. Peterson says she does everything in her power to keep her cattle cool and comfortable.