Farmers haul water, gas up generators to keep livestock alive

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By Deirdre Cox Baker | Thursday, March 1, 2007 12:31 AM CST | () comments

BLUE GRASS, Iowa — Cattle owned by Brian Ehlers normally drink water from heated troughs on the farm in western Scott County. But for the last four days, Ehlers has hauled 1,000 gallons of water three miles to the farm and poured it in big buckets for the cross-bred Angus stock.

The earth-bermed house on the property, owned by Robert Geurink, is a little frosty inside but Geurink copes by staying in a room with a fireplace. While his wife moved into town to wait out the chill, he keeps an eye on his nephew’s cattle, which are normally held in bounds by an electrified fence.

The Geurinks live at the edge of the Eastern Iowa Light and Power Cooperative service area, and they were still without electricity and water Wednesday. A generator broke down hours after it was put to use Saturday afternoon.

Ehlers’ pregnant wife is at another home with heat, but his parents, who also live nearby, have moved temporarily to a relative’s home.

In a hog operation run by Kent and Ross Paustian in rural Walcott, four generators provide power for water pumps, fans, heaters and feed lines in four confinement structures. “The hogs are OK except for the feed,” Kent Paustian said.

The Paustians have contracted with a supplier to grind feed and deliver it to the various sites since Tuesday, after their own supply ran out. “We did grind a lot of feed ahead of time, but we didn’t think power would be out this long,” he said.

The brothers invested in the generators about 18 months ago because continued power is critical in their hog confinement operation.

John Maxwell bought his generator a couple of years ago at an auction, thinking it might be useful at his large dairy operation near Donahue. The Maxwells were out of power for about 50 hours before it came back earlier this week, but they were glad when that generator kicked in.

Maxwell has since lent the generator to others and also provided water to some who were without.

“Cattle need to drink a certain quantity of water each day to keep functioning, just like humans,” said Denise Schwab, Iowa State University Extension beef specialist. “But in a situation like we have now, water is their first critical need,” she said. “They can survive without feed much longer.”

Schwab understands the situation facing the farmers. She and her family live on a farm in Benton County and have also been without electricity for days, hauling water to their cattle and horses.

This task is not so simple, Schwab said. Farmers have to ensure the tanks are large enough for the number of cows using it, and also that all cows drink. “Cows follow a herd instinct, and they all go drink at the same time. Farmers have to make sure the ones at the back of the pack have water, too,” she said. If it freezes, they have to break ice off the tanks.

So far, the farming community seems to be coping by helping one other. No damage reports have been filed to date filed with the Farm Services Agency, Davenport.

Power restoration efforts continue in rural Scott County. Between 800 and 1,000 poles were broken in the seven eastern Iowa counties served by Eastern Iowa Light and Power Cooperative of Wilton, Iowa, spokesman Jim Williams said. About 1,200 customers remained without power as of Wednesday night, including about 580 in Cedar County, 380 in Muscatine County, 330 in Louisa County and 60 each in Scott and Clinton counties, he said.

An additional eight lineman from Missouri have joined the more than 90 now working in the cooperative’s territory. Until full power is restored to all those affected by the storm, crews will work from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Williams said. He also said rumors about a shortage of poles are untrue. “We’re having no problems getting supplies from our vendors,” he said.

Geurink borrowed a generator late Wednesday to help heat his rural Blue Grass house. “I’m having a hot shower tonight,” he said.

Deirdre Cox Baker can be contacted at (563) 383-2492 or dbaker@qctimes.com.