Jessie Roberts, 69, of Magazine, was found dead Wednesday after a friend went to his house to check on him, the sheriff's office posted on Facebook. The friend spotted Roberts' truck by the pond but could not find Roberts, so he called friends and family to help look for him.

Roberts and the calf were later found dead in the pond. The sheriff's office called it a "tragic accident."

"Jessie’s family said Jessie loved farming and loved his cattle and they have no doubt that when Jessie saw the calf get stuck in the pond, he went in to get the calf out," the Facebook post says. "It is a heartbreaking loss for his family and friends and our thoughts and prayers go out to them."

Bodies of water across Arkansas have become icy or frozen this week as winter storms blast the state with snow and arctic temperatures. Temperatures were in the mid 20s Wednesday in Magazine.

Single-digit wind chills, freezing water in pipes and troughs and high snow loads on roofs have caused concerns for poultry and cattle operations.