Experts Say Drought Can Affect Wildlife, Livestock

Newswise — As the state continues to address the longest drought in 30 years, experts from West Virginia University Extension note the stress placed on livestock and wildlife because of the drought. Darin Matlick, veterinarian and associate professor, and Sheldon Owen, WVU Extension wildlife specialist, discuss how to reduce stress on the animals, while also managing vegetation and disease that may occur.

Quotes:
Drought and Livestock
“Normal stress, coupled with this prolonged dry season, increases the risk of disease in cattle, including Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, respiratory and digestive disease, contagious diseases, among others.

“EHD, a viral disease spread by biting midges of the Culicoides species, may appear in cattle during these prolonged periods of drought. While typically not deadly to cattle, outbreaks can cause cattle to get lesions in the mouth, lose their appetite and become lame. Contact your veterinarian if livestock experience these symptoms.

“Stress during times of drought can be managed. Early weaning of calves, appropriate vaccinations, deworming, proper nutrition and clean water can provide some relief to livestock. Grazing practices should be addressed to reduce any toxic plants or other growth.” — Darin Matlick, veterinarian and associate professor, WVU Extension

Drought and Wildlife
“Whitetail deer typically experience a stress period in late summer when the quality and availability of edible vegetation like buds, leaves, twigs, herbaceous plants, etc., decreases because of high temperatures and lack of rain. Drought can sometimes amplify and prolong this normal stress period. 

“Prolonged drought, and therefore prolonged reduction in browse quality and availability, can negatively affect the animal health. The daily nutritional requirements of deer may not be met resulting in reduced antler development, reduced milk production and overall reduced health.

“Deer may have to travel farther to find enough browse to meet their nutritional needs resulting in increased risk of predation, deer vehicle collisions and interactions with other deer. Deer may move into more urban areas where landowners water their landscaping thus increasing deer damage and landowner/deer conflicts.

“The stress of summer and increased lactation demands on the doe will reduce body weight resulting in a ‘thinner’ deer. During this time, deer shed their summer coats resulting in a ‘ragged’ appearance. These are normal events, but it often leads to people thinking the deer is sick.

“We can’t necessarily predict when a drought may occur, but landowners can act to better manage habitat to reduce the normal late summer stress period and potentially offset the added effects of periodic droughts. Promoting native early successional vegetation, warm season food plots and forest stand improvement cuts to increase cover and vegetation near the ground can help offset this late summer stress period. Consider reducing deer populations through hunting to maintain a deer herd that is balanced with available habitat.

“We also may see outbreaks of EHD that can cause sickness and death in deer. These outbreaks occur periodically in West Virginia and some landowners can see significant sickness and death in local areas. We normally see these outbreaks in late summer around August and September. Understand that EHD and chronic wasting disease are different diseases that affect deer. EHD can occur anywhere across the state, while CWD has only been reported in six counties of the Eastern Panhandle.” —  Sheldon Owen, WVU Extension wildlife specialist

The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources also monitors and manages the state’s wildlife populations. DNR biologists and personnel cannot monitor every forest and holler in the state, so if you see an animal that appears sick or acting abnormally, contact your local West Virginia DNR regional office.