Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Wildfires across Oklahoma and Kansas destroyed pasture and hay, leaving surviving cattle without grass and forcing ranchers to seek donated or purchased feed. The emergency is unfolding while the U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low, making every animal and every remaining acre more consequential.
Why ranchers are looking for hay
Fire removed the forage cattle normally obtain by grazing. In the hardest-hit areas, pasture was reduced to bare sand, hay supplies burned, and some ranchers cut fences so cattle could flee advancing flames. Some animals died or suffered burns; those that survived still needed an immediate feed source.
“Grass is gone.”
— Collin Domer, Laverne Fire Department volunteer firefighter, quoted by Reuters
Scarlett Madinger of the Kansas Livestock Association told Reuters that the grass resources had been burned up and livestock needed feed immediately. This is both a physical and financial problem: replacing grazing with hay or other forage costs money, and supplies may be difficult to locate after a regional disaster.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
- MULTI-SPECIES PERFORMANCE FORMULA: Manna Pro Calf-Manna is designed to support a wide range of animals including cattle, goats, swine, poultry, rabbits, horses, and deer with essential nutrients and energy.
- SUPPORTS GROWTH & WEIGHT GAIN: High-quality protein, vitamins, and energy-dense ingredients help improve animal development, appetite, and performance in both young and mature animals.
- IDEAL FOR LIVESTOCK & BACKYARD ANIMALS: Whether feeding beef cattle, dairy cows, chickens, goats, rabbits, or swine, Calf-Manna boosts nutritional intake and encourages steady growth.
- ENHANCES FEED EFFICIENCY & DIGESTION: Improves how well animals utilize their regular feed, making it a smart choice for boosting recovery and maintaining health during stress or transition.
- HIGHLY PALATABLE & EASY TO FEED: Calf-Manna’s delicious formula keeps animals coming back for more—perfect for chickens, goats, cattle, and other multi-species livestock.
How large were the fires?
Reuters reported on February 23, 2026, that the Ranger Road Fire in northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas covered an estimated 283,283 acres (114,640 hectares) and was about 65% contained. The estimate came from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry.
The fires arrived after drought and high cattle prices had already encouraged ranchers to send more animals to slaughter instead of retaining breeding stock. Reuters described U.S. cattle supplies as the lowest in 75 years. U.S. government data cited in that report put January 2026 retail ground beef at a record $6.75 per pound, 22% above a year earlier.
What burned pasture means for recovery
Not every burned field will recover at the same rate. Oklahoma cattle-industry officials warned that intensely burned pastures may take longer than normal to return to usable forage. The reports do not establish a single recovery timetable for the Plains fires, so ranchers must assess each pasture’s burn severity, remaining vegetation and local conditions before turning cattle back onto it.
Wildfire damage also extends beyond forage. Fences, gates, water systems, hay storage and other ranch infrastructure can be destroyed or damaged, while livestock losses may not be immediately known if animals scattered through cut or failed fences.
Rank #3
- MINI GOAT & CATTLE TREAT – Wholesome & healthy snack for mini goat and mini cattle.
- WHOLESOME BAKED TREATS – Baked and crafted with ingredients from environmentally conscious farmers.
- ALFALFA & MOLASSES FLAVORED – Hand-mixed and tasty alfalfa and molasses flavored to keep your mini goats and mini cattle satisfied.
- 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED – If you are not satisfied, simply return the unused portion with your receipt to the place of purchase for a replacement or refund.
- CRAFTED TO COMPLIMENT – Treats provide nurturing entertainment and are crafted to complement your mini goat and mini cattle diet.
Emergency sources of feed and grazing
Donated hay and local forage networks
Ranchers began seeking donated hay and other feed as soon as the fires passed. Local livestock associations, emergency coordinators and neighboring producers may help match available bales with displaced herds, but availability and transportation are location-specific. Confirm the feed type, quantity, testing and delivery terms before moving cattle.
Emergency use of Conservation Reserve Program acres
USDA authorized emergency haying or grazing on eligible Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acres in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. The authorization is subject to primary nesting-season rules and local eligibility decisions, so a producer must check with the county Farm Service Agency (FSA) before using a CRP tract.
Rank #4
- ALL STOCK: Country Heritage 12% All Stock Textured Feed, 50# is a multipurpose, nutritious feed for mixed herds of horses, cattle, sheep and goats.
- ANALYSIS: 12% Protein—2.5% Fat—18% Fiber
- TEXTURED FEED: High quality grains in a palatable textured form.
- VALUE: An economical source of feed for your mixed herds
- SHEEP SAFE: Safe for sheep, no added copper.
Vacant public grazing allotments
On March 31, 2026, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a web-based map of vacant public grazing allotments for producers displaced by wildfire. The tool is intended to connect ranchers with available forage while reducing wildfire fuel loads. BLM manages 155 million acres for livestock grazing, but an allotment shown on the map is not automatically available: the producer still needs to confirm the land manager’s rules, capacity and authorization.
USDA programs that may address wildfire losses
Different programs cover different losses, land statuses and years. Eligibility, sign-up periods and county implementation can change, so use this table as a screening guide and verify the current requirements with FSA, the appropriate insurer or the land-management agency.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteBest Value
- All Season Balanced Mineral Nutrition - Contains the essential macro and trace minerals at proper levels and ratios to address mineral deficiencies inherent in forages to meet cattle mineral nutritional requirements throughout the year.
- Vitamin Supplementation: Vitamins A, D and E to support optimal health, reproduction, and growth.
- Consistent Consumption - Consistent mineral intake is critical to supply cattle with the daily nutrition of essential minerals and vitamins. Our Wind and Rain Storm mineral is research-tested to ensure mineral is consumed by cattle at targeted levels, helping assure your herd will get what they need when they need it.
- Weather Resistant - Purina developed our patented Storm technology to “resist water, not digestion.” Our unique process allows mineral to remain bioavailable and palatable even after it becomes wet. Weather resistance protects your mineral investment by reducing mineral waste, so it can go to work in your herd to help achieve your performance and profitability goals.
- Altosid IGR Horn Fly Control - Prevents the breeding of adult horn flies in the manure of treated cattle.
| Option | Loss and land covered | Qualifying year and deadline | Documentation or eligibility points | What it provides |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP): Flood and Wildfire track | Supplemental feed costs on qualifying non-federally managed land | 2023 and 2024 losses; filing deadline not stated in the USDA summary—confirm with FSA | Must meet ELRP program conditions for the applicable year and county | Up to 60% of one month of calculated feed costs for a qualifying wildfire; the combined ELRP annual limit is $125,000, subject to a possible exception process |
| ELRP: Drought and Wildfire track | Qualifying grazing losses, including wildfire restrictions on federally managed land | 2023 and 2024 losses; deadline not stated in the USDA summary—confirm with FSA | Must meet the track’s grazing-loss and land-status requirements | Approximately $1 billion is allocated to each ELRP track; the initial payment factor for 2023 and 2024 drought/wildfire payments was 35% |
| Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) | Eligible 2026 feed and grazing losses | 2026 losses; deadline varies by FSA notice and is not stated here | County FSA determines eligibility and required records | Cash compensation for qualifying feed or grazing losses |
| Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) | Debris removal and restoration or replacement of fences, including cross fences, boundary fences, cattle gates and wildlife-exclusion fences | 2026 wildfire recovery; local sign-up dates not stated | Apply through FSA and document eligible physical damage before work, when required | Cost-share assistance for approved emergency conservation work |
| Emergency CRP haying or grazing | Forage access on eligible CRP acres in listed states | 2026 emergency authorization; local dates and nesting-season restrictions apply | Obtain county FSA approval and follow primary nesting-season and site rules | Temporary access to hay or grazing rather than a cash payment |
| USDA Risk Management Agency bulletin MGR-26-005.1 | Insurance handling of cattle deaths and certain Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) endorsements in wildfire-affected counties in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas | Bulletin disposal date: December 31, 2026 | For certain LRP ownership waivers, producers must provide proof of ownership; insurers decide whether to apply the flexibilities | Insurers may consider delayed death notices and, at their discretion, waive the 60-day ownership requirement for eligible endorsements |
| BLM vacant-allotment map | Potential forage on vacant federally managed grazing allotments | Tool announced March 31, 2026; no general application deadline stated | Availability, capacity and authorization must be confirmed with the relevant BLM office | Possible access to public forage, not a direct payment |
What ranchers should do first
- Separate the losses. Record livestock deaths or injuries, burned hay, lost grazing, fence damage and any forced early marketing as distinct categories.
- Contact the county FSA office. Ask specifically about ELAP for 2026 losses, ELRP eligibility for 2023 or 2024 losses, emergency CRP use and ECP sign-up.
- Notify the livestock insurer promptly. RMA bulletin MGR-26-005.1 allows insurers to consider delayed death notices in affected counties, but the insurer—not the bulletin alone—decides how the flexibility applies.
- Preserve ownership and damage records. The RMA flexibility requires proof of ownership for applicable LRP waivers. Keep photographs, maps, invoices and animal records available and ask each program which documents it requires.
- Check forage alternatives before moving cattle. Verify CRP permissions, BLM allotment terms, water access, fencing and carrying capacity with the responsible office.
Why this emergency matters beyond one fire season
A University of California, Davis policy brief published in October 2024 summarized a 2023 survey of 116 California ranchers in 49 counties whose wildfire experiences occurred from 2017 through 2022. It found that 57% reported losses in pasture, rangeland or hay production or quality; 55% reported ranch-infrastructure loss or damage; 58% of wildfire-impacted ranchers did not use USDA disaster assistance; and 82% reported negative physical or mental-health effects.
Those figures describe California respondents and are not a measurement of the 2026 Kansas and Oklahoma fires. They do show why feed, fencing, paperwork and producer well-being can remain problems long after flames are out.
The immediate outlook
The Plains fires transformed grazing land into an urgent feed-and-recovery problem. USDA relief may help with feed, grazing restrictions, fencing and insurance administration, while CRP and BLM options may provide forage access. None replaces a functioning pasture overnight, and the timing of recovery will depend on the condition of each burned tract.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
