Imagine a farm family gathered around a hospital bed. The main cattle manager, who is known as grandpa in this example, is in a coma. There are 100 head of cattle on newly rented land that only he knows about. No one else in the family knows they even exist.

I realize this sounds crazy, but this is an example of a true story that has happened numerous times on farms and ranches across the country in some form or fashion. Obviously, this is a different type of article, but the goal is to help you and your family get through tragedies and emergencies with as few additional losses and hiccups as possible. 

All operations, whether cow-calf, stocker or feedlot, should have a written emergency action plan (EAP). However, it does not have to be a set of complex documents. Depending on the size of the operation, it could be as simple as filling out the sample EAP in the back of a Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) manual or one you find online. It may help you and your operation during times of natural disaster, or that family health crisis that no one could have expected.

An emergency action plan should include the name of the location, premise ID number, owner name, GPS coordinates, 911 address and important contacts (owner, manager, crew, local doctors, backup cattle handlers in the community, law enforcement and utilities). 

It may also be important to include your veterinarian, nutritionist or anyone else who may have details regarding the continued operation of your farm or ranch. 

Having maps with meaningful information for those on scene can be a huge help. The map may include location of equipment, hazardous chemicals, fuel, animal locations (with numbers), safe weather shelter areas, property fence lines and road access sights. This may be important for new crew members or first responders that are handling a situation when you are unavailable for whatever reason. This is another reason why having a relationship with your local first responders such as local fire and law enforcement is critical in emergency situations. 

Always be mindful of a potential roadside emergency. Have a contact card or sheet readily available in farm trucks and semis. Having road flares, spare, jack/block and equipment can save both human and animal. Having potential contacts in the areas where you are driving can be vital as well. 

Having a euthanasia protocol and a way to handle expired animals according to the state laws is also beneficial to have on hand ahead of an emergency. Remember a traditional .22 caliber rifle isn’t sufficient for proper euthanasia for most animals beyond young calves. For proper euthanasia, look at the diagrams in the BQA manual that show proper procedure. 

Encourage your local first responders to go through a Livestock or Bovine Emergency Response Planning program (BERP/LERP) if possible. This can be a huge help in the event of a cattle pot rollover. I may be able to assist getting a program in your area. Please do not hesitate to reach out.