Cold weather kills livestock

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The recent cold spells in the northern and north central regions have caused an estimated loss of VND130 billion (US$6.63 million) for the animal husbandry sector, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Nearly 29,000 head of livestock in 19 provinces and cities, including buffaloes, cows, horses and goats, had died from the freezing temperatures, reported Do Kim Tuyen, the head of the Department of Livestock Breeding's Cattle Office, on Tuesday.

The ministry has proposed that the Government provide financial assistance worth VND36 billion ($1.8 million) for poor households to help them buy food for their cattle. Each household would receive VND100,000 ($5) for each buffalo and cow lost.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat said under the Prime Minister's Decision 142 to provide seeds and stock to farms and fisheries in areas hit by natural disasters or diseases, farmers will get VND2 million ($100) for each buffalo or cow lost.

Tuyen said authorities of affected localities should support local farmers and instruct them to keep their livestock indoors, keep breeding areas warm and make sure the animals have enough food. The breeding department has also sent missions to various localities to make sure farmers are taking the necessary precautions to protect their livestock.

It had advised localities to differentiate between deaths caused by weather and those by disease, so as to prevent the spread of disease as the numbers of poultry and cattle being slaughtered and transported rise as Tet (Lunar New Year) festival nears, he said.

The blue-ear pig disease and bird flu epidemics in poultry was under control but foot-and-mouth disease was still a problem, said Deputy Agriculture Minister Diep Kinh Tan.

Central Ha Tinh Province announced on Tuesday that it was free of blue-ear disease, which hit the province in early December last year and led to the culling of more than 1,000 pigs with a total weight of nearly 40,000kg.

Four Central Highland provinces of Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Dak Nong and Lam Dong also reported to have successfully stamped out blue-ear disease, foot-and-mouth disease and avian flu (A/H5N1).

Deputy Minister Tan said authorities of some provinces had not yet implemented strict measures to prevent foot-and-mouth disease and some were not even able to agree on what vaccinations should be used.

Inspections revealed that northern Son La Province had not implemented strict controls on 50 per cent of its grazing cattle herd.

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