Thousands of South Dakota ranchers hurt by spring snowstorm

The massive tractor rocked back and forth as Scott Hamilton furiously switched gears. The machine was wedged in at least 30 inches of snow settled around his ranch.

"Well, gall dang it. I think I'm stuck," Hamilton said. He switched to reverse, but it didn't budge. "Yup. I am."

The 54-year-old sighed, mumbled under his breath and switched gears again.

The snow was high enough to strand herds of cows and bury calves who were born just days ago on Hamilton's ranch in Hitchcock, which was one of South Dakota's hardest hit areas by Winter Storm Wesley this week.

Hamilton had been sleeping inside the tractor for days. His concern all week was for his 1,300 breeding cows and calves. He only got four hours of sleep Thursday night after checking on them every two hours.

Despite his best efforts, he's already lost almost eight calves to the winter storm that rolled through the state Wednesday and Thursday.

It's one of the worst spring storms he's ever seen, Hamilton said, and when it passes, he, along with thousands of South Dakota ranchers, will dig through snowbanks to find potentially thousands of frozen calves buried under the snow.

Related: As blizzard conditions abate, gradual snow melt is expected

More calves could be lost after storm

And ranchers will lose just as many calves after the storm as they did in its wake, Hamilton said.

He expects his calves will be impaired by the conditions forced upon them in the blizzard. The mud from melted snow this spring could string the cattle out and cause pneumonia and other sickness.

Despite the physical, mental and financial stress Hamilton and more than 15,000 South Dakota ranchers endured after the April blizzard, the aftermath is a testament to their dedication and resilience.

"I guess it makes your beef taste a lot better because you appreciate what people go through," Hamilton said.

For Rusty Blare, a 55-year-old rancher and farmer based 25 miles north of Winner, the blizzard might take away 25 percent of his gains and profit for the year.

More:USDA census shows a decrease in number of South Dakota farms

The blizzard will stress out the calves and affect their overall production as they grow, their IMF, grade and general health. The storm was only 48 hours, but it'll impact years worth of costs. It not only killed two calves, but it'll delay planting season as well, he said.

"Throughout this year, we've lost about 12 calves out of 170 calves due to cold weather in February, the last snow storm, flooding and now this one," Blare said. "They just came at you in waves."

Gov. Kristi Noem stated in a press conference Friday that her staff is making sure farmers have the information they need to make “tough decisions” as they go into spring and the fields hopefully start to dry out.

“Every day that we push back planting, it impacts yields, it impacts their ability to pay their bills and so this is going to be tough. If folks were planning on corn in some areas and don’t get it planted by the middle of May, they may be planting more soybeans. It’s just another challenge that they’re going to have on top of them,” Noem said.

Trevor Larson, a 25-year-old rancher based 30 miles north of Winner on his family's farm, said he only lost two calves to the blizzard. While this year's storm is worse than average, he's grateful that they haven't had it worse than others.

"The big thing now is getting the calves that have made it out get through this year and help them when they get sick," Larson said. "That'll be the next battle."

Although each rancher prepared — moving cattle, setting up calf shelters and fencing, and splitting herds — the snow and winds worked its way around them. The wind came from the east instead of the west like normal, drifting mounds of snow onto unsuspecting ranchers.

Millions of animals affected

Thousands of ranchers and millions of animals have been affected by the storm just in South Dakota, estimated James Halverson, executive director of the South Dakota Stock Growers Association. And the consequences don't stop with them.

"All sectors and all forms of agriculture are the backbone of the economy in South Dakota," Halverson said. "When the producers are hurting, there's just going to be a lot less economic activity in general. ... When we get natural disasters like this it's going to affect everybody in one way or another."

Even while assessing the damage, Blare, Hamilton and Larson were looking for the silver lining. The most obvious one, they say, is that the added snowfall will ensure better grazing conditions well into the summer. Calves that made it through the blizzard are already playing in the weekend's sunshine, too.

"You can't concentrate only on the financial aspect of it, you have to go out and enjoy the creation aspect of it too," Blare said. "It can be depressing if you focus on the bad stuff too often. But when you look at the farmer or the rancher, they're the eternal optimist and the ultimate pessimist at the same time. You keep walking and put one foot in front of the other."

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The tough conditions for ranchers and farmers leave their marks though, and they don't go unnoticed. Funds for mental health and financial security are available for people who are impacted by this year's winter, Halverson said.

After doggedly shifting gears in the tractor for more than five minutes, Hamilton finally pulled himself out of the snow. He kept on working, remembering patience and persistence are the some of the most prized values — in life and in agriculture.

"That's what you've got to do," Hamilton said. "You're not going to beat Mother Nature. You've got to do the best you can and deal with the punches that come toward you."