Drought Continues to Plague South Central United States

Horse owners, livestock producers, and farmers are all looking for help in getting through the dry spell.
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As a severe drought continues to plague parts of the south central United States, horse owners, livestock producers, and farmers are all looking for help in getting through the dry spell.

The majority of the state of Texas, about half of the state of Oklahoma, and a large portion of New Mexico are currently facing a class D4 (classified as "exceptional") drought, and many other parts of those states are dealing with a D3 ("extreme") drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Although some parts of Texas received some rain on Aug. 11, the state has not seen enough rain to combat the conditions that have caused billions of dollars in livestock and agriculture losses since the drought began earlier this year. A report from MSNBC estimates livestock losses valued at $2.1 billion and crop losses of $3.1 billion in Texas as a result of the droughts, both of which are record setting-amounts.

As previously reported, the severe drought conditions have caused a hay shortage for horse and livestock owners in affected states. The price of hay has risen exponentially as a result, and horse owners are having to make some difficult choices

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Written by:

Erica Larson, former news editor for The Horse, holds a degree in journalism with an external specialty in equine science from Michigan State University in East Lansing. A Massachusetts native, she grew up in the saddle and has dabbled in a variety of disciplines including foxhunting, saddle seat, and mounted games. Currently, Erica competes in eventing with her OTTB, Dorado.

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