More than 1,500 heads of cattle died of cold in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, an agribusiness powerhouse, as temperatures dropped below 10˚C over the past week. According to data from the state’s animal health agency (Iagro), as of Sunday, 1,573 heads of cattle had died since Wednesday, causing estimated losses of more than BRL 5 million (USD 1 million) to farmers.
The state’s southern Pantanal region near the border with Bolivia and Paraguay was most affected, with over 600 heads of cattle dying of hypothermia there.
A cold front sweeping the south of Brazil last week saw temperatures drop as low as 7.2˚C in the state capital of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, last Wednesday, with a high of 8.9˚C that day — reportedly the lowest maximum temperature recorded for the month of June in 60 years. Temperatures fell further in rural areas. Although the state is among the coolest in Brazil, it is used to temperatures averaging the low twenties in the Southern Hemisphere’s winter, with lows in the mid-teens.
Daniel Ingold, the head of Iagro, explained that the cattle bred in Mato Grosso do Sul is more adaptable to unexpectedly high temperatures than cold spells, thus making the animals more vulnerable to hypothermia. Deaths were high in the Pantanal wetlands as the area is one of open pastures with few natural or man-made shelters.
There were reports of farmers in the area lighting bonfires to try and keep their herds warm.
“It’s very cold on the open plains. As the biome is flooded, humidity increases, and the wind gets colder and colder. The animals don’t have much shelter, and they end up dying,” Mr. Ingold said. He stressed that the dead cattle were not fit for sale and that the carcasses must be disposed of carefully so as to avoid environmental damage.
Mato Grosso do Sul is Brazil’s fourth-largest beef exporting state.
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