Need of more feed & fodder to check animal mortality :Dorjey

Leh,March 11 (Scoop News) -The Executive Councilor for Sheep and Animal Husbandry, Gyurmet Dorjey said that after remaining cut off with main land for more than one month in the wake of unprecedented heavy snow fall, Tegezong was thrown open for vehicle the day before yesterday to supply fodder for the starving animals. Under his supervision, 19 trucks loaded with fodder reached Tegazong and distributed among the nomads whose livestocks are currently passing through a severe fodder crisis.

Gyurmet said that the entire pastureland in Tegazong and Chumoor area is still under the thick layer of snow and in view of need of more feed and fodder to save the livestock from starvation, LAHDC Leh presently is in active process for allotment of Indian Air Force planes to drop fodder in the snow bond areas of Changthang region.

In the meantime, Gyurmet directed the Sheep Husbandry and Animal Husbandry Deptts. to keep more fodder ready for supply to snow affected areas of Changthang.

It may be mentioned here that 6500 animals died mainly due to extreme cold and starvation.

. The entire pastures of Tegazong and Chumoor areas at present under the thick layer of 2 to 3 feet of snow causing extreme starvation to the domestic as well as wildlife animals and it is likely to take at least one month to melt the snow over the pastureland. In the meantime, Dr. Morup, District Sheep Husbandry Officer Leh said that total livestock mortality in entire Changthang region has raisin to 20,000 as on this date. He said that under a Centrally sponsored programme IWIDP-SWIP and PDP, a total of 9465 qtls of cattle feed, 2500 qtls of Barley and 100 trucks of fodder have been distributed as Nutrient supplement for the livestock of nomads before the winter.  

Heavy snowfall that has so far killed about 20,000 goats and sheep besides nearly 100 horses and yaks. The loss of animals at such a scale has jeopardized the life of nomads who are entirely dependent on livestock.

As per the official record, Changthang has 2,50,000 livestock population including the world famous Changra goat, which produces world’s finest Pashmina fibre – the soft undercoat hair of these animals used to make famous Pashmina (Cashmere)  shawls. During the visit CEC Spalbar told the nomads about special attention being paid by LAHDC towards value addition of Pashmina and Pashmina products including de-hairing, spinning and weaving so that the producers reap the maximum benefit.

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