Kentucky livestock producers and other animal owners have been urged to prepare for a severe winter storm that is expected to strike the Commonwealth near the end of the week.

"Kentucky has been slammed by severe winter weather many times in recent years," said Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer. "We remember all too well the ice storm that paralyzed most of the state almost exactly a year ago. That experience reminded us that we need to get ready before it hits."

Tom Priddy, Extension meteorologist at the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, said a weather system from northern Mexico will track south of Kentucky Thursday and Friday. That system will pull a tremendous amount of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico that will combine with cold air from the north, resulting in heavy snow and cold temperatures.

Those conditions will put Kentucky in the livestock emergency stress category by early to midday Friday, Priddy said. Older and younger animals and pets might be more susceptible to health problems stemming from the severe weather than others, he said. Stressful conditions are expected to continue until Monday morning, he said