Beth & Rip’s Dutton Ranch Cow Crisis: Foot & Mouth Disease Explained

Just three episodes into Dutton Ranch, Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) face a crisis that threatens their future in South Texas. Beth and Rip moved to Rio Paloma and bought a ranch to raise black angus cattle after a devastating fire destroyed their ranch in Dillon, Montana.

Adjusting to life in Texas hasn’t been easy for Beth, Rip, and Carter (Finn Little). From the oppressive Texas heat to the opposition Beth has encountered from a rival ranch, the 10-Petals, and its domineering owner, Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening), the Lone Star State hasn’t been entirely welcoming. Nor is 19-year-old Carter enjoying high school in Rio Paloma.

Even with a much smaller outfit compared to the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, Rip has his hands full. Rip needed to hire Zachariah (Marc Menchaca), a second ranch hand who is reminiscent of Walker (Ryan Bingham) from Yellowstone. Yet Rip couldn’t anticipate the dire threat to the Dutton Ranch that emerged in episode 3.

Foot & Mouth Disease In Dutton Ranch Explained

Beth and Rip’s black angus cattle are infected by foot-and-mouth disease in Dutton Ranch episode 3. This was confirmed by Everett McKinney (Ed Harris), Rio Paloma’s veterinarian and Beth’s new friend. This is a terrible setback for the Dutton-Wheelers’ dreams of launching a farm-to-table black cattle beef business. Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious virus that affects cattle, as well as goats, sheep, pigs, water buffalo, and other even-toed ungulates. FMD causes fever and blisters in the mouth and on the hoofs. Dutton Ranch‘s infected cows foamed at the mouth and had hoof blisters that burst before death.

According to Everett McKinney, there hadn’t been an FMD outbreak in fifty years, and the vet speculated on how Dutton Ranch’s cattle could have been infected. However, Rip zeroed in on the likely carrier: the bull he and Beth purchased at auction for $10,000 in Dutton Ranch episode 2. The bull was recently delivered and immediately mingled with the black angus cattle. In Yellowstone season 5, John Dutton (Kevin Costner) sent the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch’s cattle to Texas to prevent an outbreak of brucellosis, which is a bacterial infection that can affect animals and people. Rip and some of the Yellowstone’s ranch hands relocated to the 6666 Ranch for months to oversee their cattle. Foot-and-mouth disease doesn’t affect humans, thankfully

Why FMD Is A Devastating Crisis For Beth & Rip In Dutton Ranch

The Dutton Ranch’s black angus cows becoming infected by foot-and-mouth disease is devastating for Rip and Beth. It’s an existential threat to their livelihood, as the couple is just starting to build their beef wholesale business, with Beth securing a deal to distribute Dutton Ranch beef at one of Dallas’ top steakhouses. FMD will spread to the Dutton Ranch’s cattle, leaving Beth and Rip with no other option than to put down their entire herd. Vaccination isn’t possible as they have no time or means. The disease has already infected their cattle, negating quarantine. Culling the herd is inevitable. The pending loss of the Dutton Ranch’s entire herd would mean a loss of potential millions of dollars, and this is after Beth and Rip sank every penny they had left to buy the Edwards Ranch in Rio Paloma. After all, only six months prior, Beth and Rip lost their previous ranch and nearly everything they owned to the Dillon, Montana fire.

There is also the physical act of culling the herd itself, and what that will involve. Even more tragically, putting down their cows will likely also include the calf Beth and Rip rescued from the Montana fire.

Meanwhile, Beth and Rip haven’t had time to ask a pressing question: Was the diseased bull they bought sold to them on purpose? Did Beulah Jackson and the 10-Petals Ranch attack the Dutton Ranch to stop Beth and Rip before their rival business gets a chance to begin? Dutton Ranch‘s tragic foot-and-mouth disease outbreak could break Beth and Rip so early in their new lives as Texas beef ranchers.