Zud

A zud or dzud (Mongolian: Зуд) is a Mongolian term for an extremely snowy winter in which livestock are unable to find fodder through the snow cover, and large numbers of animals die due to starvation and the cold. The term is also used for other meteorological conditions, especially in winter, that make livestock grazing impossible.

Locals sometimes differentiate between black, white, and iron/ice zuds. The black zud is caused by sparse food in summer and a cold winter in which many animals die of starvation. The white zud is caused by very heavy snow fall, which makes it impossible for the livestock to feed on the otherwise accessible frozen grass, hence they too starve. The iron/ice zud is brought about by rain which freezes and covers the land in ice hindering the animals from feeding on grass or herbs.

It is not uncommon for zuds to kill over one million head of livestock in a single winter. A record was set in 1944, with almost 7 million head of livestock lost in a single winter.^[1] In 1999/2000, 2000/2001 and 2001/2002, Mongolia was hit by three zuds in a row, in which a combined number of 11 million animals were lost.^[2] In 2009/2010, approximately 90% of the country was affected by a white zud^[3]. By the beginning of February, close to 2 million heads of livestock had perished, and the agriculture ministry predicted that livestock losses might reach 4 million until the end of winter^[4].

Some traditional methods to protect the livestock from such inclement weather conditions include drying and storing cut grass during the summer months, and collecting sheep and goat dung to build dried flammable blocks called "Khurjun". Dried grass can be fed to animals to prevent death from starvation when zud occurs. The "Khurjun", or blocks of sheep and goat dung, were stacked to create a wall that protects the animals from the wind chills, and keep them warm enough to withstand the harsh conditions. These blocks can also be burnt as fuel during the winter. These methods are still practiced today in the westernmost parts of Mongolia, and areas formerly part of the Zuun Gar nation.

References

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[1] ttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/694716.stm

[2] Olivier Mahul, Jerry Skees, "Piloting Index-Based Livestock Insurance in Mongolia", in: The World Bank Group, AccessFinance, No.10 (March 2006)

[3] "Mongolia: cold waves"

[4] UBPost: Livestock Loss Could Reach Up to 4 Million By Spring, February 5th, 2010

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