Highlanders in Nghe An burn firewood to protect their livestock from the cold

The mountainous region of Nghe An in winter is often covered in clouds, causing severe cold. Photo: Xuan Hoang

As one of the households with main income from raising cows, these days Mr. Luong Van Minh, Na Luong 1 village, Huu Kiem commune,Ky Son districtmust reinforce and protect barns from drafts and actively store firewood and light fires to keep animals warm.

Mr. Luong Van Minh shared: Every year, his family always maintains raising from 8 to 10 cows. Due to experiencelivestock farmingFor many years, every winter he has actively repaired and upgraded the barn, using old packaging or tarpaulins to cover and keep the cows warm. In addition, he actively takes care of and cuts grass for the cows to eat, especially the small and weak ones. When the temperature drops sharply, he will keep them in captivity and use the reserve food source to supplement the livestock.

These days, Mr. Moong Van Son’s family in Huu Kiem commune is also actively taking care of their livestock. In addition to supplementing food such as corn, cassava and elephant grass, Mr. Son also increases the fire to warm the family’s 40 cows, 20 buffaloes and 25 pigs.

Mr. Moong Van Son in Huu Kiem commune is actively making a fire to warm his family's livestock.

“Because the family's livestock area is on high mountains, in winter the temperature often drops low, to protect the livestock from the cold.coldand frost, his family had to build a semi-permanent farm, as well as increase firewood storage to burn for livestock to warm on cold days," Mr. Son shared.

Raising poultry in the highlands in winter is very susceptible to disease if there is no solution to keep them warm. Mr. Song Ba Cha, the owner of a chicken farm in Son Ha village, Ta Ca commune, said that in winter, the highlands are often very cold and there is frost in the morning and evening. Therefore, to ensure the health of the chickens, he releases the chickens from 10 am to 3 pm every day to avoid fog. At the same time, he feeds the chickens with additional nutrients to increase their resistance. The barn is always covered from the wind, and a heater and light bulb are used in the barn to keep the chickens warm, especially chickens under 20 days old.

Making a fire to keep warm is an effective way for people in the highlands to protect their livestock from the cold. Photo: Lu Phu

In the highland commune of Na Ngoi, ice and snow often appear. The Party Committee and government of Na Ngoi commune have strengthened their direction and guidance to the Party cell, the village management board, and the people to implement measures to prevent hunger and cold for livestock. Especially, they have increased food reserves and organized the confinement of buffaloes and cows in barns.

According to Mr. Xong Ba Denh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Na Ngoi Commune, there are currently more than 5,000 buffaloes and cows in the area. The cold rain has lasted for a long time, even on the border there is ice and snow, the temperature has dropped quite low. However, thanks to good work in preventing hunger and cold, this winter of 2022 - 2023, the situation of buffaloes and cows freezing to death like in previous years has been significantly reduced.

People in the mountainous commune of Na Ngoi (Ky Son) take care of their livestock. Photo: Lu Phu

Ky Son is a locality with a large livestock herd of over 53,000 buffaloes and cows, nearly 30,000 pigs, and 20,000 goats. Due to the effects of severe cold spells accompanied by thunderstorms, every year in winter, people's livestock often suffer damage. For example, the cold spell in February 2022, with over 800 buffaloes and cows dying.

Learning from previous losses, since May 2022, the People's Committee of Ky Son district has issued directives and instructions to the People's Committees of communes, especially highland communes with large livestock herds, such as Na Ngoi, Muong Long, Huoi Tu, Nam Can, Nam Can, Tay Son... to implement measures to prevent hunger and cold for livestock. In particular, focusing on propagating to people to reserve food sources; enclosing barns; fully vaccinating livestock...

Feed your pets more starchy foods. Photo: Lu Phu

Mr. Tho Ba Re, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ky Son district, said: At this time, we have issued 5 guiding documents, assigning specific tasks to local Party committees and authorities to strengthen propaganda work, instruct people in preventing hunger and cold for crops and livestock, build temporary houses, stretch tarps to cover roofs, store food on-site and available food and assign tasks to Party committees and authorities to take responsibility and the district will establish teams to conduct surprise inspections of highland communes where frost often appears.

Not only buffaloes and cows, but also pigs are taken good care of by the people, and fires are lit to keep them warm when the temperature drops sharply. Photo: Lu Phu

Other localities such as: Tuong Duong, Que Phong, Quy Chau, Con Cuong... at this time also focused on propaganda, guiding people to implement solutions to prevent hunger and cold for livestock. Those specific solutions are not to let buffaloes and cows roam freely in the forest, but to bring buffaloes and cows to the barn, cover the barn and light a fire to warm up, and prepare enough food and water for livestock.

With active and proactive solutions in preventing hunger, cold and diseases for livestock, the mountainous districts of Nghe An are determined to minimize the damage caused by weather to livestock, contributing effectively to hunger eradication and poverty reduction, and increasing income for people.