The first two episodes of Yellowstone‘s hit spin-off Dutton Ranch saw Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser), Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly), and Carter (Finn Little) leave Montana behind to start fresh in Texas. They found a nice new ranch in Rio Paloma, made some fast friends, and got their bulls settled with plans to build their beef business.
Sure, Rip found a dead body and Beth made a nemesis in Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening)! But things were going semi-smoothly, until Episode 3 introduced a major obstacle…
Dutton Ranch Episode 3 spoilers ahead.
The third episode in Dutton Ranch, “Act of God Business,” saw Beth head to Dallas on business, while Rip, Azul (J.R. Villarreal), and Zachariah (Marc Menchaca) got to work on the farm. While Zach and Rip were fixing fences, however, a concerned Azul drove over and said, “Boss, you’re gonna want to see this.” He brought Rip to a field, where a lone bull was suffering from foot-and-mouth disease.
So what is foot-and-mouth disease? How did Rip and Beth’s cattle get sick? And is foot-and-mouth disease the same thing as hand, foot, and mouth disease? We’ve got answers. Read on to learn more about the disease at the center of Dutton Ranch Episode 3, and what Episode 3’s ending means for the future of the series.
Dutton Ranch Episode 3 Recap: What’s Wrong With Beth And Rip’s Bull?
When Azul took Rip to see the sick bull, its mouth was full of white foam and its hooves were bloody. Though Rip didn’t say, he immediately recognized the disease, grabbed his riffle, and shot the bull. After a thorough exam, Everett (Ed Harris) confirmed Rip’s fears: “Foot-and-mouth. It’ll burn through your whole damn herd if you don’t act quick.”
When a confused Rip noted there hadn’t been a case of FMD in decades, Everett reminded him, “We got anti-vaxers running wild. Animals shipping all over. Mexico’s 70 miles south, and that screwworm infestation shut down live cattle imports for months, hurt a lot of pocketbooks. Borders don’t give a shit about critters or desperate ranchers. All it takes is one.” While that is true, Rip had another suspicion: Bullet, the new Black Angus Bull he and Beth outbid Beulah for in Episode 2’s cattle auction.
Everett promised Rip he’d keep the scare quiet, and Azul and Zachariah set out to quarantine the herd and put pasture in between in hopes of ruling out the disease’s spread. Though Everett assured the men that they would be fine, along with the horses, he warned they should also be “really fucking worried” for the herd.
What Is Foot-And-Mouth Disease On Dutton Ranch?
Per the USDA, foot-and-mouth disease is “is a severe, fast-spreading viral disease that primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals, including cows, pigs, sheep, goats, and deer.” The USDA site describes FMD as “one of the most challenging animal diseases to control,” and notes that although infected animals can survive, they’re “left weak and unable to produce the level of meat and milk prior to infection.” So with Beth and Rip trying to build a flourishing beef business, a herd of FMD-infected bulls would essentially be useless to them.
The USDA identifies FMD symptoms like fever, blisters, foamy saliva, loss of appetite, and more. And for anyone curious, no, the foot-and-mouth disease that animals like the bull on Dutton Ranch experience is not the same thing as hand, foot, and mouth disease, which humans experience.
Dutton Ranch Episode 3 Ending Explained: How Did Beth And Rip’s Bull Get Sick? And What Does That Mean For The Herd?
After the men quarantined the herd, Emmett told Rip, “You’re doing all you can. It’s an act of God business.” In the dark of night, when Beth arrived home from Dallas, she met Rip out in the field. The two looked down and saw a calf and another bull that had both fallen ill with foot-and-mouth disease, suggesting their worst fears had come true and the whole herd would become infected.
Rip seemed to think the disease spread from their newly-acquired bull, so was foul play involved at the auction? Was there a reason Beulah stopped bidding on the bull and let them have it? And how will Beth and Rip handle the very real possibility that all of their cattle fall ill? Buckle up for more Dutton Ranch drama and tune into Episode 4 next Friday to find out!
New episodes of Dutton Ranch premiere Fridays on Paramount+ and Paramount Network.