(February 4, 2010 – 7:00 p.m.) Throughout the year, livestock owners are notified and informed about livestock grazing along the main highways across the Navajo Nation. Since the recent snowfall the animals are beginning to graze along the main highways because the deep snow covers grass and plants in the forest. Also as the roads are being cleared, horses and cattle are beginning to graze in the cleared areas.
Motorists are placed in danger when animals get on the highways. The likelihood of someone hitting an animal becomes greater because of narrow, plowed roads, especially at night.
Livestock owners need to be responsible by keeping their animals off the highways. Most chapters have been assisting their community members with hay during this state of emergency so individuals need to contact their local chapter government.
Navajo Nation Department of Agriculture shared a rough estimate of the numbers of livestock on the Navajo Nation at this time:
Agency Cattle Horses Sheep
Tuba City 20,630 5,419 28,898
Shiprock 11,014 2,648 14,215
Crownpoint 29,418 5,770 23,152
Ft Defiance 33,439 9,603 44,079
Chinle 1,842 1,217 3,870
96,344 24,658 114,214