How to Prepare Your Livestock and Small Farm for a Storm

1. Mitigation: preventing future emergencies or minimizing the effects

This includes any activities that prevent an emergency or reduce the damage of unavoidable emergencies. For example, knowing the food and water requirements for your livestock is a mitigation activity.

2. Preparedness: preparing to handle an emergency

This step includes plans or preparations to safely secure and care for your livestock. For example, completing a first-aid kit, evacuation plan, emergency barn kit and animal identification system is a preparedness activity.

3. Response: responding safely to an emergency

This includes taking action to save your livestock and prevent further property damage. For example, putting your emergency management preparedness plan into action may include turning off circuit breakers to the barn.

4. Recovery: recovering from an emergency

This includes actions taken to return to a normal or a safer situation following an emergency. For example, getting financial assistance to help pay for the repairs.

Consider this comprehensive toolbox on dairyherd.com to prepare and protect your farm: 

Livestock Emergency Management Checklist

Evacuation Toolkit for Small Farms

Sample Emergency Contacts Form for Small Farms

Livestock Evacuation Plan

Livestock Food and Water Requirements During Storms

Livestock First Aid Kit

Livestock Animal ID System

 Check out these national and regional crisis resources on agweb.com 

Source: Marion County Extension