Drought conditions are forcing some Colorado ranchers to sell and ship cattle earlier than usual as water and feed become more difficult and expensive to obtain. At Mountain View Meats near Fort Collins, beef producer Nicole Uthmann said her family is spending more time hauling water to keep its cattle supplied. … Jennifer Martin, an associate professor in meat safety and quality at Colorado State University, said drought is also contributing to a shortage of hay and grass. … Those higher costs can make it harder for ranchers to keep their entire herds. Martin said some cattle producers are shipping animals earlier than they normally would because it’s harder to feed them. … The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the nation’s cattle herd is at its lowest level since 1951.

Other drought impact news:

• KDVR: How Colorado pumpkin crops survived the drought
• Steamboat Pilot (Steamboat Springs, Colo.): Quick responses help save Colorado mountain communities from wildfires amid this summer’s historic drought
• AccuWeather: ‘Unprecedented’ bear conflicts grip parts of the West amid drought