this is a tragic loss for the involved ranchers... but will only serve to fuel the insanity known as the "futures market" and be an excuse to raise prices at the consumer level.

the high cost of feed is usually borne by the producer, because the buyers can play one seller against the other and sending to auction involves added costs as well. As long as there's plenty of cattle in the surrounding states & Canada, there will be an adequate supply of beef.

Farming & ranching are risky... nature, banking practices and politics can really work against you. The breeds of cattle in the US have been breed to fit market demands, not nature's. One of my pasture raised Scottish Highland cows calved in 15 degree weather with no problems to her or her calf. Around the same time my dairy farmer neighbors lost three calves, in spite of being kept in the barn.

The other question I have is how did the local wildlife fare? That is a better indicator of how stressed the overall environment was. sounds a bit cruel, but that's the way nature & natural selction work.

footnote: the major reason for the increase of goods over the past few years is the cost of fuel to ship them.