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Dera Ismail Khan , Jan 31 (APP):The climate change has great negative effect on livestock all over Pakistan and particularly in Dera Ismail Khan, the southern District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and an integrated strategy is needed to combat the negative effects of the changing environment, experts said .
According to experts, climate change is a major concern for current livestock systems worldwide. Global warming and its associated changes in mean climate variables and climate variability affect feed and water resources as well as animal health and production.
Muhammad Idrees Deputy Director, Veterinary Department, said that climate change can have many negative impacts on livestock, besides extreme heat, climate change can affect the quality and quantity of pasture and crops, which can impact the nutritional value of livestock feed. Animals exposed to heat stress may reduce their feed intake, increase their water intake, and experience changes in their endocrine status. This can lead to reduced performance, body weight, and milk yield.
Climate change can also impact the quality of milk, including reduced fat content, lower-chain fatty acids, and increased palmitic and stearic acid contents. Elevated temperatures can decrease fertility in livestock and increase the spread of diseases, he added .
Dera Ismail Khan was massively affected by the massive floods of July and August 2022. These unprecedented floods not only threatened human lives at a national scale but also caused unprecedented damage to livestock, agriculture, forests, and wildlife, while the destruction of infrastructure is incalculable. These floods resulted in total crop loss in most the cases and death of animal herds.
According to the District Livestock and Dairy Development Officer report, 14,587 domesticated animals died from floods while the remaining animals suffered from a lack of feed and fodder. Additionally, animals have been infected with different viral diseases after the flood. Due to the heavy flow of water, people migrate with their animals from infected areas to others.
Dr. Muhammad Ramish, a Livestock expert said that Livestock production is the world’s dominant land use, covering about 45% of the Earth’s land surface, and much of it in harsh and variable environments that are unsuitable for other purposes, Climate change can impact the amount and quality of produce, reliability of production, and the natural resource base on which livestock production depends. Climate is an important factor in agricultural productivity and climate change is expected to severely impact livestock production systems, He added.
While the increasing demand for livestock products offers market opportunities and income for small, marginal, and landless farmers, livestock production globally faces increasing pressure because of negative environmental implications.
There is little doubt that climate change will have an impact on livestock performance in many regions and for most predictive models the impact will be detrimental. The real challenge is how do we mitigate and adapt livestock systems to a changing climate, Ahmed Zeb the climate change expert said.
Adaptation strategies can improve the resilience of crop and livestock productivity to climate change. Mitigation measures could significantly reduce the impact of livestock on climate change. Adaptation and mitigation can make significant impacts if they become part of national and regional policies, he suggested.
Adaptation measures involve production and management system modifications, breeding strategies, institutional and policy changes, science and technology advances, and changing farmers’ perception and adaptive capacity. Research is needed on assessments for implementing these adaptation measures and tailoring them based on location and livestock system, he added.
By understanding farmers’ perceptions and including them in rural policy development, there is a greater chance of accomplishing food security and environmental conservation objectives, an integrated strategy is needed to combat the negative effects of the changing environment, he concluded .