Farmers in the mountainous region of Nghe An make fires and cover barns to protect buffalo and cows from the cold.

People of Khe Ran village, Bong Khe commune (Con Cuong) make a fire to warm their buffaloes and cows. Photo: Ba Hau

Mr. Quang Phuong, in Yen Hoa village, Lang Khe commune, raises 3 cows. As a person with many years of experience raising buffalo and cows, his family has proactively prepared conditions to keep the animals warm during these cold and rainy days. Along with stockpiling food sources such as straw, banana trees, corn plants, etc., the family also planted 3 sao of elephant grass to supplement the cows' food. In addition, on cold days, they light a fire to keep warm and regularly vaccinate the cows according to the veterinary station's instructions.

Mr. Quang Phuong shared:“In the past, buffalo and cows used to roam freely in the forest even when it was raining and cold. But now it’s different. When it rains and it’s cold, we have to find ways to protect our livestock, keep them in barns, cover them well, and light fires to keep them warm…”

Elephant grass is an important food source for buffalo and cows during cold, rainy days. Photo: Ba Hau

Previously, on warm sunny days, the herd of 6 buffaloes of Mrs. Vi Thi Tit's family in Luc Son village, Luc Da commune was often grazed on hills and mountains. However, in recent days, when the temperature dropped sharply, the buffaloes were kept in a barn, covered with tarpaulin, and fed both roughage and starch to increase their resistance.

Mrs. Tit shared: “My family has raised buffalo for a long time, usually we have to let them out 2 kilometers from home, but these past few days it has been cold and rainy so we have kept them at home. Before, buffaloes were raised in the mountains and forests, so they often got cold, hungry and even died. For farmers like us, buffaloes are a big asset so we have to protect them from the cold carefully.”

Buffaloes and cows are kept at home by people in Chi Khe commune. Photo: Ba Hau

The whole Luc Da commune has over 2,000 buffaloes and cows. Learning from previous years, this year the commune has carried out propaganda to villages and hamlets to raise awareness of cold prevention for livestock. Currently, the commune no longer has free-range buffaloes and cows, people have learned to build shelters, warm in winter, airy in summer. During cold and rainy seasons, buffaloes and cows are kept at home, food is prepared and fires are lit to keep them warm.

During these days, the temperature in Con Cuong sometimes dropped below 10 degrees Celsius, the district has directed localities to urgently prevent hunger and cold for livestock. Strengthen propaganda to people on measures to cover barns and prepare food sources to protect livestock.