National Guard helps stranded cattle

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – An Oklahoma Army National Guard helicopter crew has helped about 80 head of cattle stranded due to flood waters.

According to a news release, the cattle, which are located on land near the town of Bowlegs, became stranded May 7 after heavy rains flooded a river and forced them to higher ground. The National Guard dropped about 12 round bales of hay and 12 50-pound bags of feed to the cattle Tuesday afternoon. The cattle had eaten all available vegetation within a few days.

Dr. Rod Hall, state veterinarian for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, says the cattle’s situation wasn’t dire yet. But he says without the bales of hay, the cattle could have begun to eat leaves from the local trees that can be poisonous to them.