Millions of chickens and thousands of pigs drowned in Hurricane Florence flooding in North Carolina, and animal casualties continue to rise as more farmers have been returning to their property and surveying the catastrophic damage.
According to the Evening Standard, the number of waste lagoons continue to increase. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimate 3.4 million chickens and turkeys died with 5,500 hogs perishing in the flood waters. Some farmers, in preparation for the anticipated flooding moved their animals to higher ground, but the flood conditions exceeded all estimates.
In a press release, Sanderson Farms from Monday, the company announced there had been no human injuries or loss of life.
“Out of 880 broiler houses in North Carolina, 60 have flooded. Another six houses experienced damage and will be unable to house broilers until repairs are made. In addition to the affected broiler houses, four breeder houses out of a total of 92 in North Carolina flooded. At this point, none of the Company’s 33 pullet houses have reported serious damage. As a result of these losses, the Company estimates that approximately 1.7 million head of broiler chickens out of an average live inventory of approximately 20 million head, ranging in age from six days to sixty-two days, were destroyed as a result of flooding. In addition, approximately thirty farms, housing approximately 211,000 chickens per farm, in the Lumberton, North Carolina, area are isolated by flood waters and the Company is unable to reach those farms with feed trucks. Losses of live inventory could escalate if the Company does not regain access to those farms.”
Sanderson Farms is one of the largest poultry producers in North Carolina.
Perdue Farms reported partial losses of two of their chicken farms and stated that they had moved birds from low-lying areas before the storm. The flooding damage far surpassed expectations.
Out of 9 million hogs born and raised in North Carolina, 5,500 pigs drowned in flooding as farm buildings filled up with water. The slow moving storm is responsible for 16 rivers overflowing with more anticipated today. According to CNN reports, at least 25 hog lagoons containing animal feces and urine have suffered damage or have completely breached. The North Carolina Pork Council stated they moved thousands of animals to higher ground.
Check out the following video:
https://www.facebook.com/dw.turbert/videos/10156791022210972/
(Video and photos of pigs drowned via Daniel Turbert Facebook)
(More photos of chickens drowned via Mandy Lee Facebook)
Read the latest animal news on the National Pet Rescue Facebook.
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And our poor farmers take another hit, not to mention the animals that lost their lives.
Continuing prayers for all the victims of this tragedy!
The farmers will get much of their insurance money back and rebuild their facilities and restock with other chickens,hogs. The sad part is the way these animals were housed in these buildings with no was out and died a slow agonizing death. Even though I have not eaten any meat in over 20 years, I do not stop others from doing so but give them my reasons for not. These animals are basically not considered an “animal” like you would a dog,cat or horse, so for many there is no feeling there. If there were, I am sure these places might not be as abundant as they have been.
RIP sweet babies!