Heat Kills One Thousand Cattle in S.D.

(A) More than 1,100 cattle are believed to have died during a two-day blast of heat and humidity in northeast South Dakota.

"It had to be the humidity," said John Braun of the Braun feedlot south of Warner, where the weather killed 85 to 100 of the 4,500 cattle in a feedlot.

The high on Monday in Aberdeen was 97. The heat index, which is related to humidity, hit 106. On Tuesday, the high was 92 in Aberdeen, with a heat index of 100...

According to reports from producers and others, the toll included about 400 cattle at three feedlots in the Warner area, 400 in Spink County, and at least 330 in Marshall County.

A 1,200-pound animal sold for slaughter at a current minimum market price of 80 cents per pound would represent a loss of $960.

Braun said his insurance adjuster told him Tuesday morning that he was not covered and that no insurance company offers coverage for loss of animals because of heat.

State Veterinarian Sam Holland said fat cattle on feed _ which, for the most part, are what died this week _ have difficulty cooling their bodies because of their fat condition.

Little or no wind and an abundance of flies also could be factors.

Braun said cattle in his feedlot huddled together to protect themselves from flies, adding to their warmth.

Producers have been spraying water on the animals to keep them cool.