Kansas Feedlot Operator Shares Insight on Viral Video Footage of Cattle Carcasses

June 16th, 2022

The forecast this past week cast high heat and high humidity across the Midwest. While we welcomed the moisture, it brought unwelcoming devastation as thousands of cattle suffered from extraordinary temperature heat in southwest Kansas.

In viral video footage, rows of carcasses are shown lined along the edge of a pasture fence. Viewers have expressed their concern for the cattle industry and have developed conspiracies pertaining to the event.

Tera Rooney Barnhardt, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and graduate of Kansas State University operate the feedlot in the viral video. On June 17, she firsthand explained the event on the feedlot operation as she posted on social media her perspective on the tragic event.

Barnhardt starts by stating “We had a natural disaster in southwest Kansas on June 11th, 2022, and in the days that followed that greatly affected cattle being fed for slaughter. It wasn’t a tornado or a flood or a government conspiracy to dismantle our food supply. There’s no mysterious disease or theory, we know exactly what happened.”

Barnhardt explains this natural disaster to be labeled as a ‘heat index crisis’. Days prior in southwest Kansas, temperatures were reported as mild with cooler temperatures throughout the night. This was the ideal weather condition needed for cattle to maintain health throughout the summer months. Unfortunately, temperatures were high throughout the day and did not drop at night, resulting in thousands of cattle suffering from heat exhaustion at this feedlot operation.

“This is an emergency for cattle. Cattle cannot compensate for this type of weather event if they do not get a period of night cooling” Barnhardt explains. “Our people did everything in their power to save as many animals as they could. We lost a lot of cattle and we are physically affected by each loss because we know firsthand the resources and expertise that goes into raising safe, wholesome, and delicious beef for our consumers.” Barnhardt concluded the post by acknowledging the viral video footage of the cattle carcasses on social media. She encourages users to connect with her as she is happy to answer any questions and clarify any misunderstandings pertaining to natural disasters.