Mongolian livestock deaths up 4.2 pct in Q1

ULAN BATOR, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Infectious diseases and inclement weather claimed 1.1 million farm animals in Mongolia in the first quarter of this year, 4.2 percent higher than in the same period last year, the National Statistics Office said Friday.

Sheep and goats were affected most, accounting for 54.3 percent and 31.9 percent of the livestock deaths respectively. Infectious diseases including the foot-and-mouth disease and extreme weather caused most of the deaths.

In Mongolia, a dry summer followed by a freezing winter kills vast numbers of livestock, either by starvation or cold. Enditem