Kansas Ranchers Brave Cold to Care for Cattle

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – Kansas farmers are coping with frigid conditions as they look after cattle herds.

Most Kansas ranchers have not begun calving yet. But the lack of snow on the ground means cattle can stay dry and better weather the subzero weather.

But it also means there is little protective cover for exposed winter wheat crops. It will be spring before farmers know the full extent of freeze damage.

The National Weather Service says Garden City and Cottonwood Falls had the state’s lowest temperatures early Monday at minus 12 degrees.

Temperatures elsewhere varied widely, with southeast and northeast Kansas seeing lows around minus 11 degrees. It was minus 5 degrees in Wichita at 6:25 a.m. Monday.