Nghe An people burn firewood to warm buffalo and cows on cold days

Therefore, the ethnic people here have applied many solutions tocold resistancefor livestock

Mr. Xong Ba Tong's family in Muong Long commune, Ky Son district burns firewood to keep their buffalo and cows warm on cold days. Photo: Quang An

Mr. Xong Ba Tong's family in Muong Long 2 village,Muong Long communespecializes in raising beef cattle, so there are always 2-3 cows in the barn. Because of the barn, the family's cows are always well taken care of. Mr. Tong said: On cold winter days, the family uses canvas to cover the barn and uses firewood to warm the cows. Another important issue is to feed the cows with elephant grass every day and supplement with starchy foods to make them healthier.

Mr. Lau Nenh Chu and his wife, in Muong Long 2 village, Muong Long commune, prepare a tarpaulin to cover the buffalo pen. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Like other households in the village, Mr. Lau Nenh Chu and his wife in Muong Long 2 village used a newly bought tarpaulin to cover the buffalo pen. Mr. Lau Nenh Chu confided: The buffalo is the family's biggest asset, so in the cold winter, the family tries to cover the pen tightly by all means, not allowing the wind and dew to get in. The couple also take turns going to the fields to cut grass for the buffalo to eat, instead of letting it roam freely in the forest.

Observations show that most families in the Muong Long highlands prepare a pile of dry firewood next to the roof or in the garden corner to actively warm people and pets on cold days.

People in the Ky Son highlands go to collect firewood to warm their livestock on cold winter days. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Mr. Va Cha Xa - Chairman of Muong Long Commune People's Committee said: Ethnic minorities in the commune consider raising buffalo and cows as a stable economic development direction for each family, so the herd of buffalo and cows is quite large. Currently, the commune has 3,270 cows and 900 buffaloes. Implementing the directive of the district, the commune has directed the villages to propagate and mobilize people to implement solutions to protect buffalo and cows from the cold.

For the people here, raising buffalo and cows is done by letting them roam freely and keeping them in captivity. Therefore, the commune has instructed the people that for the number of buffalo and cows that are free-range, on cold days, they should limit the time they spend on the hills, and confine them in sheltered areas and light fires to keep them warm. For the number of buffalo and cows that are kept in captivity, people should cover their barns and keep them warm by burning firewood in front of the barn doors. On days when the weather iscold, people increased the amount of concentrated feed: corn bran, cassava... for buffaloes and cows to have enough nutrients. With those solutions, over the years the number of buffaloes and cows that have died from the cold in Muong Long commune has been very small.

Piles of firewood are stored by the highlanders in Muong Long commune, Ky Son district, not only to fuel their families, but also to warm their livestock on cold days. Photo: Quang An

Being a mountainous area, the temperature often drops every winter, greatly affecting the health of livestock. Therefore, to ensure the safety of livestock during prolonged cold spells, on December 10, the People's CommitteeKy Son districtissued Official Dispatch No. 898/QD-UBND-NN on strengthening the prevention and control of hunger, cold and epidemics in livestock. Previously, the People's Committee of Ky Son district also established delegations to directly go to the grassroots to inspect and direct the work of preventing and controlling hunger, cold and epidemics for livestock and poultry in winter.

Like Ky Son, other localities such as Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Que Phong, Quy Hop, Quy Chau, Tan Ky... have also implemented many measures to minimize damage to farmers during these cold days, with special attention paid to livestock./.