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Cattle Farmers Deal With Rainy Start To 2019

Posted at 6:29 PM, Feb 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-18 18:29:06-05

HARRISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — It has been a challenging start to 2019 for Lincoln Clifford. His family farms 2,000 acres in Cynthiana and the run about 200 cows, but the consistent rain and cold weather have created issues for their cattle.

Clifford told LEX 18 that they’ve already lost 14 of their 40 calves this season due to muddy and unpredictable weather conditions.

“They just lie down and they have no place to lie. They just get stuck and can’t get up. They fight and fight until they have no energy, and it’s just hard on them,” said Clifford.

He said he is worried about what could happen when he’s not around.

“My dad and us, we get up at all hours of the night checking on stuff, trying to keep them alive as best as we can. Anytime a calf is lost, that’s money lost,” said Clifford.

Clifford says that there isn’t much he can do to prepare for the rainy week ahead.

Cattle farms aren’t the only ones suffering. A horse farm in Lincoln County last month was caught up in a wet and muddy situation, forcing an animal rescue.

“It’s tough. Sometimes you want to quit because you can’t catch a break, but you have to keep fighting,” said Clifford.