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South Dakota dairy farmer helps his cattle beat this week’s heat

Livestock producers are doing what they can to protect their animals from this week’s heat.

South Dakota dairy farmer Allen Merrill says he doesn’t have the latest technology, but believes keeping a roof over his cattle helps.

“It helps to keep them out of the sun. We have numerous fans running. And clean, fresh sand in our stalls if they maybe want to lay down. And (we) continue to spray for flies as they are always a part of the equation.”

While the heatwave might be short lived, he tells Brownfield there’s no end in sight for the wet pattern that has plagued much of the Upper Midwest since early spring.

“Our county is about 50 percent planted in my opinion. And if you go west of Sioux Falls about 100 miles, it’s even worse than that.”

Merrill milks about 150 cows and farms 1,500 acres near Parker in southeast South Dakota.