PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The director of an agricultural organization says more than 5 percent of the cattle in western South Dakota might have been killed from the wind and snow of a weekend storm.

South Dakota Stockgrowers Association Director Silvia Christen says she has talked with ranchers who have lost 20 percent to 50 percent of their cattle.

She says no firm estimate of total cattle losses has been made yet, but she fears the cost of the early autumn blizzard might top 5 percent of all the cattle in western South Dakota.

Christen says the storm not only killed calves that were due to be sold soon but also killed cows that would produce next year’s calves. She says that means the storm will harm ranchers financially for a couple of years.

Ranchers who suffered heavy cattle losses could be hampered in their recovery by the expiration of government livestock disaster programs.

Union Center rancher Gary Cammack says he lost about 70 cows and some calves, roughly 15 percent of his herd. But he is particularly worried about younger ranchers who lost up to half their herds. Cammack says livestock disaster programs have expired, but he hopes they can be reinstated soon.

U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem of South Dakota says the pending farm bill would reauthorize livestock disaster programs retroactively, but Congress has so far not passed a new farm bill.

A spokesman for Sen. Tim Johnson says ranchers could have to wait until a new farm bill is passed to get monetary assistance.