August 25, 2010

Pakistani livestock sector receives US$1.4 million for feed and vaccines

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has mobilised US$1.4 million of funds for the procurement of feedstuff and for animal health vaccines.

Meanwhile, the UN has also asked for US$5.7 million in emergency assistance for Pakistan's livestock. Millions of livestock have been affected by the floods in Pakistan and are badly in need of food and medicine, FAO said.

Around 200,000 cows, sheep, buffalo, goats and donkeys have already been confirmed dead or missing but the final numbers will be much higher, possibly into the millions. If you count poultry losses, then millions of animals have already died with the entire poultry stock wiped out in some areas.

FAO estimates that millions of surviving animals are now facing severe feed shortages, threatening generations of Pakistan's livestock. The floods have affected the most densely populated livestock areas in Pakistan. Livestock make up about half of agricultural GDP.

The main priority-and challenge-is to get feed to those animals that have survived as much of the country's traditional animal feed-straw and forage-has been lost in the floods.

For buffalo and cattle, it is essential to enable the herds to rebuild quickly during the next breeding season. It is also imperative to get medicine to animals that have fallen weak or sick because of the disaster.

Where straw and fodder are available it can be supplemented with multinutrient feeding blocks which are produced in Pakistan. Animals can also be fed cereal grains, pulses and by-products-such as bran-but these are also in high demand to feed the human victims of the flood.