Extreme drought conditions in northeastern Oklahoma hurting ranchers and farmers

TULSA, Okla. — Drought circumstances in northeastern Oklahoma are wreaking havoc on crops and pastures used for grazing by cattle farmers.

The U.S. Drought Monitor signifies Rogers, Tulsa and Washington Counties are in excessive drought.

On Friday, Fox23 Information hung out in Oolagah with Lyle Blakley, of Blakley Household Farms, who oversees about 700 head of cattle. Blakley stated the shortage of rain and warmth has dried up ponds and the Bermuda grass, forcing him to maneuver his cattle.

10:09 “Bermuda grass is our essential forage,” the fifth technology farmer defined, “and that is one runner of Bermuda grass and sometimes within the fall these can be two to 3 ft lengthy.”

He stated by now, he would anticipate to lush inexperienced leaves. However there’s nothing typical in regards to the dry and scorching climate in Northeastern Oklahoma this fall.

The warmth and lack of rain are drying up water sources used for cattle. Blakely owns 400 head of cattle depends upon the pond within the pasture we visited to maintain his cows hydrated.

He stated he plans to maneuver his cows to a different pasture the place there’s a deeper pond in about ten days.

“We’re having to maneuver cattle from pasture to pasture both for grass or for water or each,” he defined.

Blakely stated the warmth has additionally impacted water high quality, turning one other pond on one other piece of land a shade of inexperienced.

“That is an instance of poor water high quality,” he defined. “I moved these cattle about ten days in the past.”

Happily, Blakley has not been pressured to promote of any cattle but, however that might change later this fall.

Farmer Tommy Salisbury of Salisbury Farms wasn’t as fortunate; he ended up having to dig out a pond close to his residence in Collinsville in hopes that Mom Nature will ultimately ship some a lot wanted rain, within the meantime he stated he needed to promote about 150 head of cattle.

“There’s no water or moisture so we’re digging them out to make them deeper, get out the silt out in order that we will retailer extra water for the cattle to drink,” Salisbury defined on Friday afternoon.

He additionally misplaced his 130-acre soybean crop in Vera after he stated the sphere obtained solely a bit of over three inches of rain since June eleventh.

We requested him how he’s doing proper now, to which he replied, “We’re in fairly unhealthy form,” he stated, “we’re operating out of water in our ponds for cattle, to winter cattle by, we don’t have any moisture within the floor to plant our wheat crop, and have us a crop in June to reap, we misplaced our soy bean crop.”

Salisbury, who stated he’ll strive once more subsequent season, stated his religion helps him to get by this robust time proper now.

“We’re simply stewards of God’s land,” he stated, “right here , we attempt to make a residing off of it.”

“We do the most effective with what we’re supplied with,” he added, “yeah it could get miserable and the whole lot else however there’s all the time subsequent yr.”

There may be assist accessible for farmers and ranchers. The Farm Service Company which serves Rogers and Tulsa Counties is taking purposes for the Livestock Forage Program or LFP. To date almost 500 candidates have expressed curiosity in help in keeping with program tech Betsy Branen.

These eager about making use of to the Livestock Forage Program should fill out the LFP survey.

We have now a hyperlink to that right here.

The Emergency Livestock Help Program, or ELAP, which can also be funded by the U.S. Division of Agriculture, gives assist to farmers and ranchers have needed to haul hay or water if ponds are dry. Nonetheless, these eager about that program should apply in individual on the Farm Service Company in Claremore.

They’re positioned at 1900 W Will Rogers Boulevard in Claremore and may be reached by telephone at (918) 341-3276.

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