'In the Sun, They'd Cook': Farming Animals in a Hotter Southwest
As temperatures rise, farmers are being forced to adapt, experimenting with new breeds and cooling methods
06The GuardianScience & Technology2020
The opening
South-west of Phoenix, Arizona, in the hottest desert in North America, Beth and Tim Wilson use sprinklers to cool their 300 pigs. Nearby, the Adams Natural Meats bison ranch employs shaders and misters. North of the city, chicken farmer Dave Jordan says he cannot put his 10,000 birds out to pasture. "If they were out in the sun, they would just get cooked."
A scene
"If I bought one of your bulls, how'd he do?" Vinson once asked his neighbor, probing how Angus might fare under hands-off ranching. His neighbor answered: "He'd probably die."
Jordan raises Cornish Crosses, a breed that grows so fast it outpaces its ability to feather, meaning it develops bald spots.
This is an excerpt. The full story ran in The Guardian.
Read the full story at The Guardian