Nghe An mountainous people proactively prevent cold for buffaloes and cows

Covering the barn and lighting a fire to warm the buffalo in Tam Quang commune (Tuong Duong). Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Van Lam in Bai So village, Tam Quang commune said: The cow is a big asset of the family, in the past we have seen many cases of buffalo and cows dying due to the cold. With the propaganda of the commune, we have proactively prepared, when the weather shows signs of severe cold, we do not let the cows out but keep them in a covered barn, at night we burn firewood to keep warm, and store food for the cows such as straw, bran and corn. Thanks to that,All 10 cows are stable now.

Ms. Kha Thi Hien - Chairman of Tam Quang Commune People's Committee added: Tam Quang Commune currently has over 4,900 buffaloes and cows. To proactively prevent hunger and cold for livestock during the cold days, commune officials go to each village and hamlet to guide and mobilize people on measures to prevent hunger and cold for livestock such as: For households raising cattle in captivity, use tarpaulins and plastic to cover and block barns, limit grazing of buffaloes and cows in the early morning, increase feeding of starch, fresh grass, straw... Reserve and provide enough green roughage for livestock in advance, regularly clean, disinfect, and sterilize barns and livestock areas. For households raising cattle in the forest, it is required to herd buffaloes and cows to confine them in a concentrated pen, cover them with tarpaulins, keep them warm, and proactively provide food sources.

People cover cows' pens to keep them warm in Tam Dinh commune (Tuong Duong). Photo: Van Truong.

According to the report of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tuong Duong district, the whole district of Tuong Duong has over 50,000 buffaloes and cows. To cope with severe cold, before the cold season, the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district has established a Steering Committee for the prevention of hunger and cold for livestock and poultry, urging communes to go down to villages and households to focus on preventing hunger, cold and diseases for livestock. Instructing people to cover all barns with bamboo and canvas, keep the barn floor clean and dry and warm with straw, stubble and hay.

Farmers herd buffalo and cows grazing in the forest in Tam Quang commune (Tuong Duong) to avoid the cold. Photo: Van Truong

In particular, there are currently about 30% of households raising buffalo and cows extensively (free-range), the District People's Committee has directed communes to encourage people to bring buffalo and cows that are free-range on the mountains to confine them, build temporary shelters for them to protect them from the cold. People are advised not to let buffalo and cows roam when the temperature is too low.

To ensure enough food for livestock in cold weather, the district's Department of Agriculture has instructed households to take measures to preserve and store food, especially straw. Take advantage of vacant land to grow elephant grass, agricultural products such as potatoes, cassava, corn for silage to increase food sources for buffaloes and cows. On very cold days, it is necessary to add concentrated feed and diluted salt water to supplement nutrition, increase resistance, and ensure healthy growth of livestock.

The cowshed is lit with electricity and a fire is lit for warmth. Photo: Van Truong

At this time, Tan Ky district is also actively preventing and fighting the cold for buffaloes and cows. Mr. Tran Lam in Dong Van commune (Tan Ky), who is lighting a fire to warm the cows in the barn, shared: During the long cold season, in addition to using canvas to cover the barn to keep warm, to proactively provide food for 5 cows, my family always maintains 2 sao of elephant grass and bananas to feed the cows in the winter, every day, we harvest them, chop them, mix them with fermented bran to feed the cows, and give them enough water. When the cold appeared from December 27, I used canvas to cover the barn to keep warm, so the cows still grew and developed well.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Trung - Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tan Ky district added: Tan Ky area has 52,000 buffaloes and cows. Before the Lunar New Year, the district established 4 inspection teams to prevent hunger and cold for buffaloes and cows, and directed people to maintain nearly 2,000 hectares of elephant grass and corn biomass to have enough food for buffaloes and cows in the winter.

Tan Ky district continues to work with working groups of districts and communes to closely follow the area, visit each family to urge and help people cover barns to prevent wind, guide techniques for storing and processing feed for livestock, and closely monitor epidemics to prevent livestock from starving or freezing.

Buffalo and cow barns in Tan Ky are covered to protect against the cold. Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Ngo Duc Quynh - Deputy Head of the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine said: To ensure prevention of hunger and cold for buffaloes and cows, the Department recommends that local breeders reinforce and cover barns, clean up to keep the barn floor dry and use straw as a warm mattress for livestock.

Absolutely do not let buffaloes and cows graze or work when the outdoor temperature drops below 12 degrees Celsius. It is necessary to reserve and provide enough green roughage and concentrated feed for livestock, supplement salt, minerals and vitamins when the temperature drops below 12 degrees Celsius to increase the resistance of livestock. Vaccinate buffaloes and cows against foot-and-mouth disease, anthrax and cholera.

Localities proactively use reserve budgets to promptly serve the work of preventing hunger and cold for livestock; support materials and priority funding for poor households, policy households... to reinforce and cover barns...

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