As summer weather disasters intensify, Gyeonggi Province has distributed a manual for livestock farms containing response guidelines. The province said advance preparation is more important than anything, given that 336,000 head of livestock died from heat waves last year, causing damage of about 5 billion won.
According to Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday, the newly distributed manual offers specific response guidelines for heavy rainfall and heat wave situations.
To prepare for heavy rainfall, repairing retaining walls and clearing drainage channels come first. Electrical safety checks, including for short circuits caused by wind and rain, are also essential. To prevent livestock disease, farms need to maintain barn cleanliness, conduct regular disinfection, and administer vaccinations in advance. Pest control work such as removing water puddles and installing insect screens must be carried out alongside these measures.
Electrical safety was particularly emphasized. To prevent fires and electric shock accidents caused by heat waves, farms should inspect the condition of damaged plugs and wire insulation and check whether earth leakage circuit breakers are working. Aging facilities should be replaced, and care should be taken not to exceed contracted power capacity. Keeping emergency generators and fire extinguishers on hand, as well as conducting electrical safety diagnostics, are also recommended.
For heat wave preparation, the key is lowering barn temperatures by spraying water on barn roofs, installing shade screens, and operating ventilation and cooling fans. Farms should supply sufficient fresh water and provide quality feed supplemented with vitamins and immune boosters to minimize high-temperature stress.
Livestock species vulnerable to high temperatures, such as pigs and chickens, require separate management. Farms should quickly dispose of livestock manure to prevent the generation of harmful gases and adjust stocking density to 10 percent or less below the standard to maintain an appropriate number of animals raised.
"Since livestock are sensitive to heat waves, I ask for special attention to environmental management as well as to preventing electrical fires from operating cooling equipment," said Shin Jong-gwang, head of the Livestock Policy Division at Gyeonggi Province.
Meanwhile, the province conducted advance inspections in April focused on low-lying areas and aging barns, and completed reinforcement measures at 43 sites where risk factors were identified, including drainage channel maintenance, retaining wall and roof repairs, and replacement of aging electrical equipment.
