Nghe An farmers 'sewing clothes', burning firewood to protect livestock from the cold
(Baonghean.vn) - Nghe An is experiencing days of severe cold. To protect livestock and poultry from the cold, people have come up with many ways to keep their animals warm.
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| To prevent buffalo and cows from going hungry and cold during the days of low temperatures, farmers have prepared food reserves. Photo: TP |
Experiencedfattening buffaloFor decades now, whenever there is information about extreme cold weather, Vo Van Kha's family (Nghia Hoan commune, Tan Ky district) prepares materials to protect the buffalo from the cold.
Mr. Vo Van Kha said: “Biological characteristics make buffaloes less resistant to cold than cows, so we must strengthen cold protection measures. The barn is basically solid, with a windproof canvas layer installed, so when the temperature drops, we just need to pull down the canvas curtain; the heating system is turned on in both rows. In addition to the main food of grass and corn bran, these days, we add molasses, silage, vitamins, minerals, and give them warm water to drink. Therefore, despite the cold spells, the family's herd of 12 buffaloes is still healthy and has not lost weight.”
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| Highlanders herd cows back to the barn to avoid the cold. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
Famous fornative yellow cattleWith a total herd of nearly 5,000 cows, with resistance to harsh weather many times better than crossbred cows, but on days when the temperature drops sharply like now (down to 7 degrees Celsius), people of Tri Le commune (Que Phong) have proactively taken measures to protect livestock from the cold: Herding cows back to the barn, using canvas, blankets, old clothes to make cold-proof clothing for cows; burning firewood to warm and cover barns for livestock and poultry and storing food, giving livestock enough food and warm water.
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| People cover barns and ensure the living space of cattle is windproof. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
In recent years, with the planning of grazing areas on mountainous areas, each household's buffalo and cows are grazed within the assigned area, making livestock management easier. When it is very cold, people can easily herd buffalo and cows back to the barn to take care of them. In addition, the Mong people in Tri Le are used to growing elephant grass as food for buffalo and cows (total area of nearly 30 hectares); the model of raising buffalo and cows in captivity is increasingly being replicated... Therefore, the damage caused by adverse weather is limited compared to the previous free-range grazing practice.
In order toprevent hunger and cold for livestock and poultryDuring the days of low temperatures, the Department of Agriculture and the Farmers' Association of Que Phong district have actively implemented propaganda measures, instructing people in 13 communes and towns on techniques to care for and protect livestock from hunger and cold; and mobilizing people to sew clothes from canvas, blankets, and old clothes to wear for buffaloes and cows.
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| Burning wood to keep pets warm during cold days. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
In Nam Dan district, there are currently 49 livestock farms, mainly concentrated in the communes of Nam Thanh, Kim Lien, Nam Anh, Nam Nghia, Nam Hung, Nam Kim. In which, mainly raising chickens, goats, pigs. Most of these farms have closed barn systems, invested in heating systems and biological bedding, so cold prevention for livestock and poultry is not an obstacle.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thiep - an expert from the Department of Agriculture of Nam Dan district said: "As soon as there was information about extreme weather, severe cold, the district sent an official dispatch to communes and towns about implementing measures to prevent hunger and cold for livestock. Currently, through inspection, local authorities as well as mass organizations have propagated to households; livestock households strictly implement the proposed measures."
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| All farms have closed barn systems, ensuring airtightness and professional heating systems. Photo: Thanh Phuc |
According to information from the Nghe An Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, currently, the total herd of buffalo and cows in the province is estimated at 778,000; the herd of pigs is 1,000,000; and poultry is 30,000,000. In the face of complicated weather developments, to ensure the safety of livestock such as buffalo, cows, deer, goats, especially in the highland areas: Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Que Phong, Quy Chau... the specialized sector has proactively issued telegrams on strengthening the direction of the work of preventing hunger, cold, and epidemics for livestock.
In particular, Farmers' Associations at all levels have actively implemented and expanded the movement of "sewing winter-proof clothes" for buffaloes and cows; giving winter-proof clothes to livestock for households raising livestock in difficult circumstances; establishing agricultural teams to support the care of livestock and poultry during the time when F0 and F1 members are quarantined and treated. Typical localities include: Con Cuong, Quy Chau, Que Phong, Ky Son...
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| Farmers in mountainous districts are expanding the movement of making warm clothes for buffaloes and cows. Photo: CSCC |
To respond to and reduce damage to livestock and poultry caused by severe cold, farmers need to implement the following measures:
1) For barns
There is a system of canvas and curtains to cover the barn to avoid rain and wind, ensuring the barn is closed, warm and dry. In particular, it is necessary to keep the barn floor dry and clean. For the floor of chicken and cattle barns, it is necessary to spread a layer of rice husks and dry straw to keep the feet warm and increase the temperature in the barn.
- 2) Care and nurturing:
– For poultry:Implement the brooding process for small poultry well, and take appropriate measures to prevent cold (cover the coop to avoid direct wind, increase heat sources by adding light bulbs or infrared bulbs; do not release poultry into the garden or hills on days with severe cold...).
–For pigs:There should be a brooding pen for piglets following their mother. Do not clean the pen or bathe the pig on cold rainy days when the temperature drops below 12 degrees.0C. Provide a diet that ensures adequate and balanced nutrition for each type of pig and each stage of rearing.
–For buffalo and cows:Provide enough green roughage for cattle, at a rate of 10% of body weight so that cattle have enough energy to resist the cold.
On cold days, buffaloes and cows need to drink warm water, add salt at a rate of 15 grams/10 liters of water to increase metabolism and improve body resistance. Proactively store food for buffaloes and cows by fermenting green food, storing hay and straw; planting additional grasses to ensure a stable food source.
Things to keep in mind when usingImproper cold prevention for buffaloes and cows such as: Dressing buffaloes and cows in clothes but leaving them out in the rain in the pasture makes them sick and die; Using fuel to heat buffaloes and cows in closed pens all night without monitoring, leading to buffaloes and cows dying from smoke suffocation.
