Sort (ACN).- Snow reserves and bad weather are delaying the ascent to the mountains of herds of sheep, cows and mares due to lack of food or snow drifts. In the Pallars Sobirà region, the most affected areas are those in the upper part. In mountains such as those of Port de la Bonaigua or Lladorre, the animals will climb a month later. During this time, they graze in meadows near the villages where the grass is more abundant. The ranchers lament that the grass that the animals eat during this month, which should be in the mountains, is the one they should cut and save for the winter.
For some ranchers, the economic losses can be 50% with respect to the grass they collect for the animals. In the area of Lladorre (Pallars Sobirà), they gather the herds in the mountains and hire a shepherd to watch over them all summer. This shepherd is also waiting to know the date on which the herds will be able to go up the mountain to start working. About 8 herds (about 2,500 sheep) gather on this mountain.
The delay in the ascent of the herds up the mountain not only causes economic losses to the ranchers, but also generates more work for them. During these weeks, the ranchers should be collecting the grass, and instead, they have to be aware of the animals that have not yet been able to climb the mountain.
The economic losses are the grass that the animals eat during this month. All this grass that they eat now will be lacking in winter and they will have to buy it. In some cases, it is half the grass.
With regard to the snowdrifts that still exist in the Port de la Bonaigua or other nearby mountains, it is a danger for animals, since the smallest ones can easily get sick and catch colds. Walking through the snow also causes damage to the legs of animals. If they take them to the mountains in these conditions, they risk losing an animal.
Bad weather this year has made food in the mountains scarce. In the Llessui mountain, the first herds have already begun to arrive. Here the scheduled date to start raising the cattle was the 7th and it has been delayed until the 10th, given that from the 1,800 level there is still snow.
Source: The Vanguard
Link: http://ow.ly/m5IAQ
