With the return of warm weather, most ewe are at the period of delivery, bringing hope to north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the largest meadow in the country that endured a fierce blizzard two months ago.
The herdsmen are now engaged in helping in the delivery of lambs. So far, the region has got l0.5 million heads of newborn lamb, as revealed by governmental sources.
In spite of that, the blizzard has left more sheep killed because of cold and starvation. The herdsman lost 879,000 heads of lamb this year, about 332,000 more than the previous year, according to sources.
The stockbreeding industry in the region also suffered from a high rate of abortion, which afflicted about 663,000 heads this year.
The blizzard, which began during the Chinese lunar new year in late January, affected 480,000 households and more than 23 million heads of livestock.
Local governments are now fully mobilized to protect ewe and lamb and ensure transportation of good fodder to reduce the negative effect of the adverse climate in the region.
(eastday.com 03/21/2001)
