Heavy snowfall covers pastures, farmers find tough time to manage fodder for mountain goats in Mustang

By Hari Krishna Sharma, Mustang, Jan 30: Heavy snowfall has occurred around the yak sheds of yak herder Pasang Gurung in Nilekangchung of Lomanthang Rural Municipality, where nearly one hundred yaks are kept. 

Due to the excessive snowfall, around four feet of snow has accumulated in the grazing areas, making it extremely difficult to manage the necessary fodder for the livestock. 

Leading yak herder of Mustang, Gurung, said that calves have been kept safely inside the sheds.

Around 600 yaks belonging to yak herders of Lomanthang are currently grazing at an altitude of about 3,700 meters above sea level.

Similarly, Angyal Gurung, a mountain goat herder from Chhoser of Lomanthang Rural Municipality–1 in Upper Mustang, said that heavy snowfall has occurred in the grazing areas located at an altitude of around 4,700 meters above sea level. Therefore, he is currently searching for alternative grazing areas after the sudden snowfall in mid-Magh (January end). 

Protecting more than 700 mountains goats has become extremely challenging, he said. 

Gurung, who spends most of his time in the grazing areas as a herder, said that while he is somehow managing to survive himself, it has become very difficult to find feed and keep the goats in dry places after the grazing areas were covered by snow. 

“The excessive snowfall has buried the grass in the grazing fields, and there is a risk that the goats themselves may be buried during heavy snowfall,” he said.

Yak herder Krishak Gurung said that they are forced to bring feed from the settlement to feed the animals following the heavy snowfall in the grazing areas after five years. 

There are 2,450 yaks kept in 23 sheds in Lo-Ghekar Damodarkunda Rural Municipality and Lomanthang Rural Municipality of Upper Mustang.

Chief of the Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Center, Mustang Dr Lalmani Aryal, said that since the grazing areas have been covered by snow, yak and goat herders are compelled to relocate sheds closer to settlement areas and manage alternative feeding arrangements. 

He said, “Although snowfall improves grazing conditions in the long term, there are immediate challenges. However, since yaks and goats are adapted to cold climates, there is little risk of damage from cold.”

As yaks and goats are accustomed to extremely cold weather, even sub-zero temperatures are suitable for them, which is why the animals remain in grazing areas. Due to heavy snowfall across grazing lands in all five local levels of the district, a large number of livestock are facing difficulties.