Climate change has become a buzzword and is no more a prank. We actually experience it and discuss it in our circles but are unaware of its impact on every creature on earth. Climate change is much beyond the rise in atmospheric temperature. While we describe climate as the long-term average of meteorological variables typically over 30 years to millions of years, climate change refers to the change in such variables in any time period in the earth’s history and that change has been witnessed perceptibly since the industrial revolution and believed to be anthropogenic.
Climate change may not have perceptible direct threat to the livestock because they have inbuilt system of adaptability to the changes. However, the climate change can indirectly pose serious threats to the livestock farming. Livestock is less susceptible to the climate change as against the agriculture crops including the horticulture industry. Livestock farming in our temperate region is largely under semi-intensive system and in any harsh conditions farmers try to provide congenial micro-environment to the animals. Yet, we are much concerned with the changing patterns in the mean state and other characteristics of meteorological variables on all spatial and temporal scales and the extreme weather events.
For the last few years, we are experiencing dry weather conditions during winter months and then heavy rains, hail storms and cloud bursts that are significantly affecting the livestock. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir has a reasonable population of small ruminants in the country that are reared in a typical system of vertical pastoralism, wherein the livestock moves to highland pastures during early spring and return to the plains during autumn. This system of small ruminant rearing has been affected directly by the changing climate.
Shift in the winter downpour towards early spring has disrupted the migration of livestock to high land pastures in early spring. Increased frequency of extreme weather events like cloud bursts; lightning strikes and flash floods have caused heavy losses in livestock particularly during their migration to highland pastures. Lightning incidents of late have increased three folds when compared to 2020 and six incidents of cloud bursts during 2023 have been reported that have claimed 54 human lives.
Cozy and bright days during core winter has in fact affected the livestock positively as we reported a reduced neonate mortality in small ruminants that used to be due to hypothermia during winter. Similarly, the warmer days proved to be conducive for dairy farming. However, warm and bright days of Chillai Kalan have posed new challenges in livestock farming due to changing distribution of vectors and pathogens. A significant load of gastrointestinal parasites has been reported in large ruminants that used to be non-significant during winter season. Experts are of the opinion that warmer winter has reduced the dormancy of parasites and are prevalent in the livestock. Similarly, this change in weather pattern is also likely to support vectors that carry pathogens for various diseases.
Already, we in Kashmir have witnessed emergence of new vector borne hemoprotozoan diseases that didn’t exist previously in this region and the reason has been importation of large number of cattle from neighbouring tropical States. So, the import of cattle along and the changing weather pattern leads to emergence of vector-borne diseases in Kashmir valley. Many important diseases of livestock like foot and mouth disease (FMD), black quarter, haemorrhagic septicaemia and anthrax are more likely to occur during rainy season. But, the present shift in precipitation from core months of winter to late months of spring is likely to extend the risk of such diseases to many more months thus adversely affecting the livestock and the farmers associated with it.
Indirect effects of climate change on livestock are through feed, fodder and water availability. The dry winter has drastically reduced the biomass of Rabi crops that will have direct bearing on the fodder availability for livestock. The changing weather may affect the quality of forages, early maturation of plants increases stem-leaf ratio and also reduces digestibility. Oats, one of the important Rabi fodder crops is expected to have reduced yield owing to dry weather. Besides, low precipitation is likely to change the biomass availability in grazing lands, range lands, common property resources (CPRs) and highland pastures that will certainly impact livestock growth and production.
Water is an important commodity for life and any insecurity in its availability is bound to affect every life including livestock. Water is necessary for livestock from its drinking to cleaning and product processing. We have been witnessing significant deficit in rainfall continuously for the past four years. Overall deficit was reported to be 29% in 2024, whereas in January, 2025 alone more than 80% deficit in rainfall was recorded. This substantial negative departure in precipitation is raising concerns about water scarcity for agriculture, hydropower generation and domestic use. The water flow in rivers across the valley that is vital for irrigation and drinking water has notably declined. Most of our livestock drinks water from these rivers and streams running through villages and highland pastures. Low precipitation and rising temperatures will have farmers facing challenging times in the days to come. It is high time for farmers to recognize the problem and embrace climate change, adaptation and mitigation strategies.
Ameliorating Strategies
- Periodic screening of livestock for GIT parasites, hemoprotozoans and vectors.
- Implementation of preventative vaccination programs against important animal diseases at proper intervals.
- Adoption of simple techniques like chopping, soaking, urea & enzyme treatment or silage making for improving the digestibility of available fodders.
- Use of supplemental feed during periods of forage scarcity. It will be more important in small ruminants that are in advanced pregnancy this time.
- Optimizing grazing practices to adapt to changing forage availability with rotational grazing.
- Incorporation of agroforestry crops and water weeds in the animal diet.
- Conservative use of water in cleaning and washing of animals & animal sheds through use of jet systems.
- Access of livestock farmers particularly vertical pastoralists to robust and dynamic weather advisory system more particularly during ensuing migration.
- Adoption of water harvesting practices at farms.
- Training of farmers in production and conservation of feed and fodders.
In the long run to adapt to climate change, various strategies need to be chalked out for having climate tolerant breeds, efficient nutrient converting species, efficient disease monitoring system, smart farming practices tailored to specific regional climate changes and livestock breeds.
(The Author is Professor and Head Division of Vet. Physiology FVSC Shuhama SKUAST-K)
