Provide shelter for livestock and give them careful care to help them survive the cold.

HA TINH: Farmers in Ha Tinh are proactively implementing measures to keep their livestock warm and boost their immunity, aiming to protect their herds and minimize losses during prolonged periods of cold and rainy weather.

With years of experience in livestock farming, upon receiving information about the approaching strong cold fronts, Mr. Tran Van Thu in Phuc Son village, Tung Loc commune ( Ha Tinh province) proactively implemented measures to care for and keep warm his family's more than 30 3B cows.

Anh Thu said: "During the cold season, the energy needs of cows increase. Therefore, I increase the ration of green fodder, supplementing it with starch, minerals, and vitamins. At the same time, I stockpile silage and bales of straw before winter to ensure a stable food source for the herd."

People increase the amount of green fodder in the feed, supplementing it with starch, minerals, and vitamins for livestock during the winter. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

Mr. Thu carefully constructed the barns, raising the floor, adding straw bedding, and installing windbreaks to minimize the impact of cold winds and maintain a stable temperature. These measures help the cows maintain good health, limit weight loss, and increase resistance, contributing to stable milk production and meat quality during the winter.

To prepare for the upcoming Lunar New Year market, Mr. Le Quang Dai in Thuan Chan village, Tung Loc commune, is focusing intensely on protecting his family's cattle from the cold. His family currently raises 25 3B cows, many of which are in a growth stage requiring special care. According to Mr. Dai's experience, cold weather not only reduces the cows' appetite but also makes them more susceptible to respiratory and digestive diseases. Therefore, from the beginning of winter, he proactively renovated the barn, raising the floor, adding straw bedding, and covering it with tarpaulins to prevent frost and drafts.

Farmers stockpile straw before winter, ensuring a stable food supply for their cattle. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

To help the cows maintain their health, Mr. Dai increased their intake of high-energy feeds such as cornmeal and rice bran, combined with mineral premix, nutritional supplements, and provided them with warm water during the coldest times of the day.

Being much more sensitive than many other species, chickens are very susceptible to diseases in winter, especially respiratory and digestive illnesses. Understanding this, the family of Mr. Nguyen Kim Cuong in Tan Van village, Dong Tien commune, who currently raise 1,500 free-range chickens, proactively reinforced their chicken coops from the beginning of winter.

Mr. Cuong enhanced natural warming measures such as providing shelter from drafts, lining the coop floor with a thick layer of rice husks, and ensuring the breeding area remained dry. Besides increasing feed rations, he also supplemented with multivitamins, digestive enzymes, and electrolytes to boost the chickens' immunity during periods when they are susceptible to heat stress. When temperatures dropped significantly, he used a system of hanging heating lamps concentrated in the chick area and for weak chickens to create localized warmth, minimizing the risk of the chickens getting cold and contracting diseases.

In addition to providing nutritional supplements for the chickens, Mr. Cuong's family also enclosed the coop and kept the chickens warm with heating lamps day and night. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

Not only livestock and poultry, but also households raising specialty animals like deer – the main livestock of many localities in Ha Tinh – prioritize measures to protect them from the cold. This is because winter is a crucial period that directly affects the condition, health, and quality of antlers in the upcoming harvesting season.

In Hamlet 5, Cam Lac Commune, Mr. Truong Xuan Ha is currently raising 40 spotted deer. During days when temperatures drop sharply, he proactively implements various care measures to ensure the deer herd maintains good health. Unlike cattle, deer tolerate cold less well, especially those preparing to grow antlers. Therefore, Mr. Ha prioritizes keeping the enclosures well-ventilated and always dry.

The deer enclosures are thickly lined with straw and sawdust, with the lining replaced regularly to prevent mold – a factor that easily causes deer to get cold feet and respiratory illnesses. Every day, Mr. Ha increases the deer's ration of concentrated feed, supplementing it with corn kernels, minerals, and nutrient-rich leaves such as banana leaves and fig leaves… to help the deer increase their resistance and accumulate energy.

Locals have proactively implemented various care measures to ensure the deer herd maintains good health. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

Mr. Le Ha Giang , Deputy Head of the Livestock Department - Ha Tinh Provincial Department of Crop Production and Livestock, said: “To proactively prevent hunger and cold for livestock in the context of complex weather patterns, livestock farmers need to focus on implementing a comprehensive set of solutions. First of all, barns must be reinforced, well-insulated, and kept warm, dry, and clean. They should also prepare fuel to provide warmth for livestock during periods of severe cold.”

Regarding care, farmers need to feed their livestock adequately, increasing the amount of nutritious feed and supplementing with vitamins such as A, D, E, B-Complex… to improve immunity and reduce the risk of winter diseases. When temperatures drop to 13-15°C or below, outdoor grazing should be minimized, especially in hilly areas prone to cold winds and frost.

Farmers cover their barns to protect livestock and poultry from the cold. Photo: Anh Nguyet.

"Full vaccination according to schedule is a mandatory requirement to boost the immunity of livestock and poultry, especially at the end of the year - a period when many diseases are at risk of outbreaks," Mr. Giang emphasized.

According to the Department of Crop Production and Livestock of Ha Tinh province, the province currently has more than 57,600 buffaloes, 150,900 cows, and over 1 million poultry. These are not only an important source of livelihood for many households but also meet the essential food supply needs to meet the increased consumer demand during the year-end period.

 

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/che-chan-chuong-trai-cham-care-chu-dao-de-vat-nuoi-vuot-ret-d789215.html