Abnormal cold is causing cattle deaths in border districts

Abnormally prolonged period of strong freeze has put the animal herders of Central Asian regions into a difficult position. For example, in neighboring Mongolia, already more than one million heads of cattle have died from cold and dzut (ground frozen so hard that animals can’t feed. hj). The weather has caused similar problems for the herders in several districts of Tuva. As of today, already more that one thousand heads of small horned cattle and about 300 of large horned cattle have died in the republic as a result of the deep freeze. Mostly this involves young animals born last year.

The situation is especially difficult in Erzin and Mongun-Taiga districts, where the winter pastures are covered by deep snow. According to zootechnical statistics, if cattle deaths comprise more that 3% of the population, the situation is considered extraordinary.

-in Erzin and Mongun-Taiga, the situation is approaching the critical point, the cattle deaths are increasing, - minister of agriculture and provisioning of RT, Valentin Endan, told the journalists. – That is why we made the decision to apportion 50% of the entire volume of subsidies which were foreseen for this year for the females, for the Mongun-Taiga and Erzin districts. Subsidies will be received by Ulug-Khem and Bai-Taiga districts as well.

Altogether 1 million 300 thousand rubles will be used from this source to help the areas in trouble.

Deliveries of animal feed to Mongun-Taiga continue. On February 10, 50 tons of hay and about 30 tons of fodder were delivered to Mugur-Aksy. The plan is to deliver another 120 tons of hay and about 70 tons of fodder to this mountainous district. Because at this time it is impossible for heavy transport to get through the steep, snowed-under passes of the mountain ridges of Western Tannu-ola, they have to go by a detour through Samagaltai. Locally, necessary measures are being taken as well. In particular, animal feed to Tandy and Bai-Taiga districts is being brought from beyond the Sayan mountains. So-called inner reserves of feeds are also being distributed. Currently, the herding system of the republic has 54 thousand tons of fodder, 41% of which was prepared in 2009.

But the most responsible and difficult period of the winter is still to come – the calving and lambing season. The minister called on the leaders of municipalities to take control over this, and to show the herders help in physical terms. Specifically, to return to the practice of previous years, when during the time of mass lambing, all the teachers, doctors, and older students would go to the stations to help.