A Florida dairy farm is suffering with the loss of hundreds of cattle as a result of Hurricane Ian, and is trying to protect the remaining members of the herd.
The Dakin Dairy Farm in Manatee County lost at least 250 cows out of a milk-producing herd of roughly 2,400, with water and flying objects being the leading causes of death.
The family farm, a landmark in the neighborhood since the 1970s, was severely damaged by last week’s monstrous hurricane, which tore down barns and uprooted trees.
“The destruction wrought by Hurricane Ian is incomprehensible.” The devastating blow to our Dairy shook us to the core,’ the owners wrote in a Facebook statement.
“We are reaching out to the community not only to ask for assistance, but also to offer assistance,” the farm explained, offering community people in need access to the farm’s electricity, running water, and “lots of milk.”
The Dakin Dairy Farm in Manatee County lost at least 250 cows out of a milk-producing herd of roughly 2,400 during Hurricane Ian, with the majority of deaths caused by water or flying items.
The family farm, a landmark in the neighborhood since the 1970s, was devastated by last week’s monstrous hurricane, which tore down barns and uprooted trees on the property.
“The destruction wrought by Hurricane Ian is incomprehensible.” The proprietors noted in a Facebook post, “Our Dairy took a big hit and it shook us to our core.”
A rabbit hutch is overturned on Dakin Dairy Farm, which is in shock after Ian slaughtered hundreds of cows.
Jerry Dakin stated that it was the biggest calamity he had ever observed in his decades of farming, stating, ‘There are times when you have to step back and shed a tear. This is my source of income. I have created every part of this.
Eight livestock have been lost in all. Courtney Dakin, one of the family members who owns the farm, told WTVT that the current number of cows is approximately 250 and climbing.
Jerry Dakin told the media source that it was the biggest calamity he has ever seen in his decades of farming, stating, ‘There’s always a time when you step back and shed a tear.’ This is my source of income. I have created every part of this.
However, he said that no farm personnel were hurt in the storm and that the cyclone spared the milking parlor, where cows are milked three times per day.
The only remaining dairy farms in Manatee County are the Dakin family farms, owned by Cameron, Farren, and Jerry Dakin.
They have become an integral part of the community, conducting educational tours and hosting a popular cafe with farm-fresh ice cream.
The farm in Myakka City is located approximately 70 miles north of Fort Myers, which was the epicenter of disaster last Wednesday when Hurricane Ian made landfall.
In recent days, the number of storm-related deaths has grown to at least 84, as rescue personnel sift through the hardest-hit districts.
There were at least 75 fatalities in Florida, five in North Carolina, three in Cuba, and one in Virginia.
Cameron, Farren, and Jerry Dakin’s family farms are the last remaining dairy farms in Manatee County.
Fortunately, none of the farm’s staff were hurt during the storm, and the hurricane spared the milking parlor, where cows are milked three times per day.
One of the barns on the Dakin farm, which was severely impacted by Ian last week, has sustained damage.
On Monday, Florida officials said that more than 2,350 individuals had been rescued.
The destructive storm has also devastated animals around the state.
On Pine Island, near Fort Myers, an operation named “Operation Noah’s Ark” was initiated on Tuesday to transport 275 parrots, including some of the world’s rarest species, to safety.
Will Peratino and Lauren Stepp, the owners of the birds, refused to evacuate their Pine Island home during the storm because they could not forsake their two lemurs and the flock of birds.
Therefore, a rescue attempt was initiated to convince Peratino and Stepp to evacuate the island, which is now isolated from the mainland.
They would not be abandoned. Never would I abandon them. Never,’ said Stepp as volunteers at the Malama Manu Sanctuary gathered the flock from dozens of coops. If they are unable to be fed or hydrated, they will perish. And I cannot tolerate that.’
The Hawaiian word for protect is malama, while the word for bird is manu.
Since Hurricane Ian struck, the birds have relied on food given by wildlife officials. However, fruit, peanuts, and other consumables would soon become scarce due to the collapsed bridge and the lack of gasoline on the island.
On Pine Island, near Fort Myers, an operation named “Operation Noah’s Ark” was initiated on Tuesday to transport 275 parrots, including some of the world’s rarest species, to safety.
Tuesday on Pine Island, parrots wait in cages to be brought to the mainland. Volunteers assisted in evacuating hundreds of birds from the Malama Manu Sanctuary to avoid Hurricane Ian’s destruction.
They would not be abandoned. Never would I abandon them. Never,’ said Stepp as volunteers at the Malama Manu Sanctuary worked to collect the flock from dozens of coops.
Off the shore of Pine Island, which was shut off from the mainland when Ian demolished the lone bridge, unique and uncommon birds are ferried to the mainland in crates by boat.
A week ago, Hurricane Ian pummeled Southwest Florida with 150 mph winds, rendering some highways and islands unreachable. Wind-driven downpours and tidal surges caused hazardous flooding.
In the hours preceding the storm, the owners of the sanctuary gathered their flock of birds into their home to protect them from the violence of the storms.
You have no idea what we’ve endured here. We had four feet of water in the house and were perilously close to drowning,’ Peratino recounted before breaking down in tears.
Peratino stated that ensuring the safety of all birds is a monumental task. It is virtually impossible to accomplish. Therefore, the assistance we have received has been essential.’
Many of the birds were rescued from homes that were unable to provide for them. Some are utilized to breed endangered species.
While humans have been the primary focus of many search and rescue attempts, animals have also been rescued.
Prior to Tuesday’s major rescue, at least six dogs, three cats, and three birds were rescued, according to Project Dynamo creator and leader Bryan Stern.
Aerial imagery captured on Monday shows a dump truck dumping its load during emergency repairs to restore road access in Matlacha, Florida following Hurricane Ian.
In the wake of Hurricane Ian in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, family members stack flooded belongings on the curb.
A man stands in front of his destroyed home in Matlacha, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
Before starting on the rescue attempt, Stern stated, “Our animal population is about to be obliterated by a hundred cages of parrots.”
James Judge, owner of the boat ‘Slice of Life,’ which led the tiny flotilla of rescue boats, described the situation as “crazy.”
The owners of the refuge, Will and Laura, have their hearts in the birds. Therefore, they are experiencing their own suffering due to the hurricane and must rebuild their lives,’ Stern said. They lost numerous items. Is the solution to lose more weight?’
The group of volunteers would not allow that to occur.
Tuesday, the volunteers spent several hours placing birds in cages using nets and their bare hands.
The birds, including macaws, cockatoos, and rare king parrots (of whom only two dozen pairs are housed in the United States), squawked and fluttered their wings as their handlers placed them in cages.
Tuesday in Arcadia, Florida, a National Guard truck passes through floodwaters from the Peace River. Fifty miles inland and over a week after Hurricane Ian made landfall on Florida’s gulf coast, the area’s record-breaking floodwaters are receding to reveal the storm’s full impact.
Tuesday in Arcadia, Florida, a man operates an air boat in floodwaters at the Peace River Campground.
Monday in Matlacha, Florida, a barge transports an excavator to assist with emergency repairs to restore road access in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.
Some whistled and spoke, including a number of individuals with playful vocabularies.
Ghassan Abboud, a dentist from Chicago who owns a bird farm in West Palm Beach, is a friend of the sanctuary’s proprietors.
When he learned of their predicament, he mobilized his resources to assist. He envisioned hiring a small boat to transport cages from Pine Island to a dock on the mainland, where an air-conditioned trailer would transport the birds to his property on the Florida peninsula.
But by accident he saw the Project Dynamo team, who were assisting in the rescue of those trapped by floodwaters and damaged roads.
“I could never write such a script. It was flawless. Abboud stated, “I believed I would be back all day on a small boat.” “What these men have done is unfathomable. They committed their assets. They saved numerous birds.