Drought, recession scorch Texas cattle ranchers

PANDORA, Texas (Reuters) – Frates Seeligson recalls when his ranch last saw rain: September of last year. That was around the time he took on an extra 200 cows to help a farmer whose fields were ravaged by Hurricane Ike. Talk about a perfect storm. The worst drought on record in this parched part of south-central Texas means his withered land can hardly support his own dwindling herds. … "These cows aren’t in good shape," Seeligson said recently as he scattered protein cubes or pellets for some of the cattle in his herd at the crack of dawn on a mist-shrouded morning. The feed is meant to be supplemental but the grazing is so poor that it is now his herd’s main source of nutrition. "Look at this black cow; you can see its hip bones," Seeligson said as the cattle crowded around his pick-up truck looking for their feed. Some of the calves have distended bellies and many of the cows look downright scrawny, with the outlines of ribs and backbones showing clearly through their hides. It is a sight that will break the heart of the hardest Texas cattleman. … The weather in much of Texas has been fluctuating wildly between wet and dry spells over the past five years. Increasing frequency of extreme weather events is regarded by some scientists as a sign of human-induced climate change caused by fossil fuel emissions. … Seeligson says that over the past eight years he has seen two years of "incredible flooding" and three periods of drought — enough to make any farmer’s head spin. …