VOA标准英语2012--Record Drought Takes Toll on Texas Cattle

Record Drought Takes Toll¹ on Texas Cattle

Rancher Marc Scott once ran three times this many cows on his pastures, but when he saw drought coming last year, he began to sell them off.
"Probably between 60 and 70 percent of my herd² is what I sold off," said Scott. "I actually started a year and a half ago. The conditions were getting drier and drier."
Scott says the main problem is the lack of grass and the expense of feed that he had to bring in from elsewhere.
"With the herd I had before there was no way I could afford to feed them all through the winter," added Scott. "Now I have compacted my size and moved some off and now I can, hopefully, get through this with what I have left."
By "moving off some" Scott means he shipped some cows north to land he leases in states that were not affected³ by drought. Now he faces the expense of bringing those cattle back when things get better.
There have been some good, all-day rains here in central Texas lately, and they have replenished⁴ stock ponds and restored moisture to the soil so it can produce grass. Scott says this gives him hope.
"These rains we are receiving now, if we can receive those for another two or three months at least, then if it does get droughty during the summer, that will help carry us through," Scott added.
At Texas A and M University, livestock⁵ economist⁶ David Anderson keeps track of the state's overall herd and the sobering results of last year's record drought.
"We had the biggest one-year decline in beef cow numbers here in Texas as far back as the data goes, which goes back to 1920," said Anderson.
Anderson says some ranchers may see hard times if it does not rain a lot through the winter months. He says converting pasture land to some other crop, like corn or wheat, is not an option in most cases.
"A large portion of our state is extensive pasture and rangeland that is just not suitable for other crops," Anderson added.
Anderson says Texas ranchers can only hope for rain and hang on until conditions improve.
But even for ranchers who may have the financial means to get through this drought period, it will take many years and a lot of work to rebuild the herds⁷.
Marc Scott spends time maintaining fences and worrying about the dry summer that many climate experts are predicting for this year.
"It will drive a lot more people out [of this business]," Scott noted⁸. "You cannot continue to buy that feed for the cattle and come out at the end of it. You cannot do it. You have to be able to grow it"
Last year saw a 20-percent increase in U.S. beef exports. Ranchers like Marc Scott would like to sell more cattle to foreign consumers, if they can get through this crisis with cattle to sell.

1 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

2 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 replenished   

补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满

参考例句：

• She replenished her wardrobe. 她添置了衣服。
• She has replenished a leather [fur] coat recently. 她最近添置了一件皮袄。

5 livestock   

n.家畜，牲畜

参考例句：

• Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
• The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。

6 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

7 herds   

兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众

参考例句：

• Regularly at daybreak they drive their herds to the pasture. 每天天一亮他们就把牲畜赶到草场上去。
• There we saw herds of cows grazing on the pasture. 我们在那里看到一群群的牛在草地上吃草。

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。