News Australia
Fires are advancing to the heart of the Australian dairy sector
It has probably not escaped anyone's attention that the Australian provinces of New South Wales and Victoria are being harassed by huge bushfires. (dairy) farmers in the country are also affected by the fires. About 2,3 million cattle are at risk.
The bushfires are also raging in the province of Victoria, which is the heart of the Australian dairy sector with about 65% of production. Images appear on social media of dead animals lying along roads in large numbers. Meanwhile, the Victorian government has asked the military to help clean up and bury all the carcasses.
The impact on the Australian population is enormous. Large numbers of people are on the run, while some are trying with great difficulty to save their home port. So far, 24 dead people have been counted. It is estimated that more than 6 million hectares of forest and farmland have been destroyed and half a billion animals are dead. The 500 million animals concern both wild and domestic animals, such as (dairy) cattle.
450.000 cattle dead?
Mecardo, an agricultural market agency in Australia, estimates that 2,3 million cattle and 8,6 million sheep are at risk. This amounts to 9% of the cattle population and 12% of the number of sheep in the country. It is reported that 450.000 cattle and 1,3 million sheep are now dead. It is emphasized that these are estimates and that the damage cannot yet be assessed.
Many farmers try to save their livestock, but they often fail. There is also a feed shortage in the affected regions. Supplying feed is difficult, because the fires make the transport of hay, for example, impossible. Australian authorities expect the fires to kill 1 billion animals. This is because it is likely that some of the animals that survived the fires will still die due to feed and water shortages.
Jorine Cosse
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