Video: Thirsty cows swarm water truck as Australia drought rages on

Desdemona Despair

By Lucy Middleton
8 August 2018

(Metro) – Hundreds of thirsty cows swarm a water truck in new footage that shows the real impact of Australia’s biggest drought in decades.

The shocking drone footage comes as 100 percent of the state of New South Wales was declared to be drought-affected.

Farmer Amber Lea, who shared the video on Burrabogie Livestock and Contracting’s Facebook page, had to drive for over an hour to get the water her cows desperately need.

If she didn’t make the journey, the 1,300 cattle would simply go without.

‘Watering points or allocated watering troughs were too low…mills had stopped pumping,’ she told the Mercury.

‘There was no supply … we often have to drive 50 to 70 kilometres one way to get water for them.’

Much of Australia’s southeast is currently struggling with drought.

But the drought conditions in New South Wales have been the driest and most widespread since 1965. […]

“This is tough,” Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair said in a statement today.

“Many farmers are taking livestock off their paddocks, only to then see kangaroos move in and take whatever is left,” Blair said.

“If we don’t manage this situation, we will start to see tens of thousands of kangaroos starving and suffering, ultimately leading to a major animal welfare crisis.” [more]

Thirsty cows swarm water truck as Australia’s drought rages on