Due to the El Nino Phenomenon, 9,865 Cattle Died in Two Months in Colombia
In Colombia, people have been talking about the occurrence of the El Nino phenomenon in 2026 for several months, and it seems that one of its first and serious impacts is being felt by the country’s cattle ranchers. Despite the damage that the natural phenomenon has been causing, the productive sector warns that there is […]
Between June and August, an El Nino phenomenon caused the deaths of 9,865 cattle and buffaloes in Colombia, significantly impacting the cattle-raising sector. Over 333,000 animals were relocated, and more than two million hectares suffered damage across 15 departments. This resulted in losses amounting to 47 billion pesos (US$15 million), primarily from the death of animals (27 billion pesos or US$8.8 million).
FEDEGAN, the Colombian Federation of Cattle Ranchers, advises cattle farmers to store water, prepare and preserve forage, and manage pastures strategically. The Caribbean region, particularly Cesar, La Guajira, Bolivar, Sucre, Atlantico, and Magdalena, faced the most severe consequences, with 8,508 dead animals, 127,648 relocated, and 975,844 affected hectares.
In the Eastern Plains, Meta, Arauca, and Casanare reported 193,523 relocated animals, 96 deaths, and 242,143 affected hectares, with Casanare having the highest number of relocated animals at 167,011. The Andean region, including Boyaca, Santander, Norte de Santander, Huila, and Tolima, witnessed 858 dead animals, 12,057 relocated, and 478,314 affected hectares.
The Amazon region in Caqueta reported 403 dead animals and 502,316 affected hectares. FEDEGAN emphasizes that the losses from the El Nino phenomenon exacerbate other challenges already faced by producers, such as floods, extreme summer weather, and the recent earthquake in the western part of the country.
Written by urgent.news from Colombia One's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
