Archive for August, 2011
The cost of drought
Written by Dr. Dolittle on August 9, 2011 – 3:09 pm -
Disaster Texas style. That’s the only description I can give our daytime temperatures right now. Yesterday we hit 107, the actual temperature, under the carport. Under the rabbit pen roof it was 120 degrees. We have only our breeding rabbit stock this time of year and they are dropping dead no matter what we do. We have lost some of our best rabbits and today may wipe out most of the rest. The chickens aren’t doing any better. We water mist the critters often, all the while we’re doing that we have to remove those who haven’t survived. It’s just heartbreaking. I’ve frozen water in margarine dishes to put into the rabbit pens in an effort to keep them alive. It must help but it’s only a temporary fix. What makes this tough is there is no end in sight and it is supposed to be hotter today than it was yesterday and hotter yet tomorrow.
Update: We have slowed death’s march through the rabbits and chickens, but how damaged are the survivors? It will take weeks for them to recover if they can, and there Is no reason to believe we won’t lose more. It’s really sad when anything under 100 degrees begins to sound good to us. It’s been so long since we have had any rain lakes and bayous are dangerously low, but we’re not as dry as south and southwest Texas. Cattlemen there are selling off their cattle. There is no grass and hay can’t be found at a reasonable price. It has to be hauled from out of state and the added cost makes it just out of reach for most. We desperately need some relief.
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