Ranchers working to keep livestock warm during winter storm warning
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With a winter storm warning in effect for the Rio Grande Valley, the conditions are some of the worst possible for any animals outside to stay warm.
At his stable in Mercedes, Teo Martinez — also known by officials as the Hidalgo County Cowboy – is supplying plenty of hay.
Martinez has horses and cattle that were lost or abandoned. Police call him to round them up until the owner comes forward.
“The hay helps keep them warm,” Martinez said.
The cold is amplified when animals are exposed to the wind. The rain makes them lose heat faster, but with fresh hay — they're able to keep warm and keep eating.
At Martin Farm and Ranch Supply in Edinburg, hay bales are moving fast as shoppers buy them to make small structures that will keep animals away from the wind and the rain.
“If you can get them out of the weather, out of the wind, that helps,” store owner Doug Martin said. “If it starts to drizzle, an animal needs three times as much energy to stay warm when it's wet. So if we can keep them dry, that goes a long way to keeping them healthy too."
Martin says people are buying heat lamps too.
When it's cold, animals use more calories to stay warm, so feeding them during this time is important as well.
Watch the video above for the full story.
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