Farmers don’t worry about cold temperatures, but wet wintry conditions can harm their cattle and their wallets. The winter blast is giving more than just drivers a headache on the roads. It’s burning a hole in ranchers’ wallets who are caring for cattle.

“This is an unusual year,” cattle farmer Doug Dawkins said. “It’s been a whole lot muddier. We’ve had a lot of rain and snow, and it’s created a problem from that standpoint.”

All of this mud, caused by the on-and-off falling of packing snow, is making it very hard on farmers trying to haul their cattle to market.

“It’s a domino effect,” Dawkins said. “Not only has it affected the producers, it’s affected the livestock market as well.” Read more…