55,700 livestock dead due to cold weather in Northwestern Mongolia #Livestock #Mongolia

Extreme wintry weather, known as dzud in Mongolia, has killed more than 55,700 livestock animals in the northwestern province of Khuvsgul alone since late last year, the provincial agricultural department said Monday.

“Dzud” is a Mongolian term to describe the frigid winter that comes after a dry summer and causes the death of a great number of livestock due to starvation or cold weather.

“A total of 55,764 livestock animals have died in 11 soums (a type of administrative district in Mongolia) of our province since late last year due to the severe wintry weather. Heavy snowfalls have hit the province 16 times since the beginning of November,” the department said in a statement.

The agricultural department and other relevant provincial organizations have been distributing grass and fodder to local herders free of charge or at discounted prices, it added.

Courtesy of xinhuanet.com

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