Matthew Poole and continuators on Joel 1:18

18 How do the beasts groan ? the herds of cattel are perplexed, because they have no pastures; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.

So great was the penury and want of sustenance, that the beasts in the field pincht with hunger, groaned, made dismal noise for fodder and water, the first word, beasts, is general, and contains all sorts.

The greater Cattel which go wandering about, and range over all places, yet can find no pasturage.

Which led by Shepherds, might likely be supposed better secured, yet their Shepherds find no Pasture, and the sheep pine away, and starve. These things are mentioned, either as convincing men of their stupidity, who were less sensible of present miseries then brute beasts were, or to provoke them to lay to heart the pressing calamities, or as arguments that he would pity and relieve innocent brutes, though he punisht sinful brutes.