Proactively prevent hunger and cold for livestock

(Baonghean) - According to the forecast of the Central Hydrometeorological Center, the cold air this year will have many complicated developments. Ensuring that 690 thousand buffaloes and cows, more than 970 thousand pigs and more than 15 million poultry in Nghe An province can "cope" with the severe cold season is of great concern to departments, sectors and people.

Severe cold in the Northern Delta will occur in the first half of January 2015. The cold weather accompanied by many prolonged drizzles will make the food supply unable to be guaranteed for livestock and poultry, leading to livestock dying of hunger and cold. In such weather conditions, it will also greatly affect the resistance of livestock. If not well cared for and prevented from epidemics, livestock will be susceptible to dangerous infectious diseases such as foot and mouth disease, blue ear disease and respiratory diseases, causing great economic losses for livestock farmers. In this situation, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has established 3 working groups to inspect, direct and urge the work of preventing and fighting hunger, cold and epidemics for livestock and poultry in the whole province.

Mr. Le Quang Hai (Thanh Ngoc commune, Thanh Chuong district) takes care of his family's pigs.

We followed the working group led by Mr. Tran Van Chat - Director of the Livestock Breeding Center as the head of the inspection team in the districts of Hung Nguyen, Nam Dan, Thanh Chuong, Anh Son, Con Cuong, Tuong Duong and Ky Son. In Thanh Chuong, the district has a large number of cattle and poultry in the province (currently the total herd of buffalo and cows in the district reaches nearly 73 thousand heads, more than 110 thousand pigs and 1.4 million poultry), the implementation of measures to prevent hunger, cold and epidemics for livestock is being carefully and synchronously prepared by departments, branches and people. On the side of the People's Committees of communes and towns, inspection and supervision teams have been established in each hamlet and commune. At the same time, propaganda and mobilization of people through the grassroots radio system have been strengthened. In particular, vaccination work is being carried out seriously and comprehensively on all livestock and poultry in the area. The source of food reserves for livestock is also very abundant and rich when the whole district has effectively deployed the winter crop with more than 3,000 hectares of corn and potatoes.

About Thanh Ngoc commune, one of the localities with strong livestock development, with more than 40 farms and ranches. Here, although the weather has not yet appeared severe cold, people have implemented good preventive measures. Because it is a locality with good winter crop production, the source of reserve feed for livestock and poultry is relatively stable. In particular, there is also a method of creating a source of animal feed by bio-fermentation. People take advantage of leaves and stems of crops such as corn and cassava to ferment into nutritious feed for livestock. Even cassava leaves and tubers can be fermented into a nutritious food source.

If in the past, the main source of food for buffaloes and cows was straw - the main nutritional component was cellulose, now thanks to biological fermentation technology, the source of food for livestock is supplemented with more protein and vitamins, helping animals grow quickly in both weight and meat quality. The implementation process is not too complicated and inexpensive, so people can easily do it. Specifically, for the stems and leaves, grind or chop them, then mix biological yeast in a certain ratio, put them in a plastic bag, suck out all the air in the bag and incubate for 10 to 15 days before using. Currently, nearly 30 households are following this method, in the near future, after the program is approved, the technology can be replicated for people.

In addition, during the days of severe cold, the commune has more than 50 tillage machines, so people can take advantage of this resource to reduce the pulling force for buffaloes and cows when the weather is not favorable. Mr. Le Quang Hai, Minh Nhuan hamlet is currently developing a closed pig farming model with a total herd of over 50 cattle, sharing: "Currently, the farming of my family and people in the hamlet has improved a lot compared to before, when the livestock is ensured in a good barn system. In winter, wind protection is also easier when the ventilation doors can be opened and closed easily, and feed for livestock on cold days is also fully stocked."

For Anh Son, a midland district with cold weather and complex terrain, people have also promptly taken the initiative to take care of their livestock. Currently, the district's total herd of buffalo and cows is more than 35.5 thousand; the herd of pigs is 55 thousand and more than 700 thousand poultry. If in 2010, the district had 180 cattle die due to being let loose during the cold spell, since 2013, the whole district has overcome the above situation. According to Mr. Nguyen Cong The - Head of the Department of Agriculture of Anh Son district, for a long time, people have been developing both cultivation and livestock raising at the same time, creating a premise for the development of agriculture.

In this winter crop, the whole district cultivated over 3,500 hectares of corn. Corn stalks are a relatively nutritious food. The district sowed in two seasons, season 1 was commercial corn on good land. As for poor, low-lying land, people sowed later and at higher density to serve as a source of food for livestock. Therefore, during the upcoming period of severe cold, the reserve food source for livestock is guaranteed.

In addition, this year, the sugarcane growing area of ​​Anh Son is up to 1,600 hectares, for households raising cows with a number of about 10 cows, they often buy sugarcane tops and leaves to provide food for cows and buffaloes during cold and rainy days when they cannot graze. The climate in the mountainous areas is much better than in the plains, so the work of preventing hunger and cold is even more urgent. Compared to the past, in recent years, all cow-raising households in the whole district have built a system of barns, and there is no longer a situation of letting cows and buffaloes roam freely. Therefore, people pay more attention to controlling food, temperature and health status of the herd.

Up to now, the delegations have inspected and urged in 8 districts. According to the general assessment, the departments and branches of each district have done a good job of propaganda and mobilization for people to prevent hunger, cold and diseases for livestock and poultry. On the side of the people, especially in the highlands, they have also changed their farming habits by ensuring the system of barns and monitoring the health of livestock.

Thanh Quynh