Emergencies and disasters involving livestock also vary in degree, depending on the amount and availability of needed resources. The degree to which an incident results in a disaster depends on the size of the event and local response and recovery capabilities. In many cases, levels of preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities go hand-in-hand.

For example, in the 1998 ice storm in the northeastern U.S., the most critical agricultural need was for electrical generators because dairy farms needed electricity to milk their cows.

Farms with generators were able to maintain their milking schedules and the cows suffered less mastitis or illness compared to farms that were not well equipped.