Snowfall finally started to trickle out of western South Dakota late Thursday evening. It was a long 24-hour period for ranchers tending to livestock. According to South Dakota Stockgrowers Association Executive Director James Halverson, the middle of the state took the brunt, again “They were hardest hit last time and had major flooding. There could be over 18 inches of snow in those areas,” says Halverson. In southeast South Dakota, ranchers also battled Mother Nature for an extended period of time. Taylor Grussing, a cattle producer at Chamberlain, recalls the rain setting in about 8 o’clock Wednesday evening. “That eventually switched to snow, along with 30 plus mile-per-hour winds,” says Grussing. “We’re going out every hour or two, checking for newborn calves and checking cattle health. A lot of us don’t have barn space for every single calf.” Halverson says this weather is tough on ranchers. “But producers are resilient as well. If there are people that need help, it’s okay to reach out.” Listen to the story.