FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Cattle Raisers mobilize to help producers during Hurricane Rita

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 21, 2005‑With Hurricane Rita bearing down on the Texas coast, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association is mobilizing to help livestock owners protect their livestock and property.
         “TSCRA field inspectors are being deployed to strategic areas along the coast,” says TSCRA President Dick Sherron. “When the storm makes landfall, they’ll be able to move quickly into impacted areas to help producers and local law enforcement agencies.”
         Spearheading the effort will be Larry Gray, TSCRA’s director of law enforcement, and regional supervisors Hap Roberts and Hal Dumas. Producers who need help in locating and gathering missing animals should call TSCRA headquarters at 1 (800) 242-7820. When the hurricane hits, TSCRA staff will be in the office to field calls and forward requests for help.
         “Don’t wait for the storm to hit,” Sherron urged. “Storms are unpredictable. Producers from Beaumont to Brownsville should take precautions NOW to protect their livestock and property.”
         ·  Move animals to higher ground immediately. If you need to hire helicopters to move cattle out of the bottoms, do it now; they won’t be available later.
         ·  If you can’t get the livestock moved, open gates so animals can get out on their own.
         ·  Be cautious about stalling horses. Unless the facility is really strong, horses can be seriously injured if the building collapses.
         ·  Restrain stock trailers, light feeders and other equipment, and piles of building material that can be picked up by high winds.
         ·  Fill all portable water tanks with water. This will restrain them and provide a source of water of after the storm.
         ·  Fill light boats with water to restrain them. You’ll need them after the storm.
         ·  Gas up all heavy equipment.
         ·  Charge all portable tools.
         ·  Do not set brakes on windmills.
         ·  Get generators ready.
         ·  If you have time, remove heavy tree limbs that overhang house or barn.
         Detailed information on preparing for and recovering from a disaster such as a hurricane are available in The Disaster Handbook published by the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Florida. It can be accessed online at http://disaster.ifas.ufl.edu/masterfr.htm .
         Links to specific chapters in the handbook to help livestock producers are posted on TSCRA’s Web site at http://www.texascattleraisers.org . Subjects include:
         ·  Protecting farm building from storm winds.
         ·  Protecting livestock during a hurricane.
         ·  Emergency treatment and management of horses under hurricane conditions.
         ·  What to do during a power failure at a farm.
         ·  Preparing to evacuate your farm.
         ·  Maintaining livestock health after a flood.
         ·  Sanitizing drinking water.
         ·  Feeding water-damaged feeds.
         ·  Salvaging wet stored grain and feed.
         ·  Handling flood-damaged hay.
         ·  Cleaning electric motors.
         ·  Cleaning and reconditioning farm vehicles and equipment.
         ·  Clearing debris from land.
         ·  Restoring a flooded water system.
         ·  Disinfecting wells.
         ·  Flooded private sewage systems.
         ·  Disposing of animal carcasses

TSCRA-31-2005