More than 21,000 head of livestock in Shihezi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, are being moved to lush summer pastures in the Tianshan Mountains, with local authorities carrying out parasite dipping treatments and emergency trail repairs to guarantee a smooth transfer amid frequent mountain rainfall.
Guided by veterinary technicians, herders in Ziniquan Town of Shihezi City first drove their flocks through medicated bathing pools to eliminate external parasites and reduce the risk of disease transmission.
Following this health check, the herds began a 60-kilometer trek from Ziniquan spring pastures, located at an altitude of less than 1,000 meters, to the Daniugou summer pastures over 3,000 meters above sea level.
For local herders, the annual summer relocation is a necessary step as vegetation in the lower-altitude spring pastures has been depleted. "There's no grass left in the [spring] pastures, so our cattle and sheep have to move [to the summer pastures] deep in the mountains. We couldn't get there without the bridge repairs since the routes are too dangerous," said Bihaazi Tuohuzibai, a local herder.
The entire summer transfer was originally scheduled to conclude by early July. However, recent heavy rainfall in the mountainous areas has swelled river waters, causing varying degrees of damage to sections of herding trails and bridges.
To minimize disruption to the migration schedule, local work teams have been traveling alongside the migrating herds, carrying wooden planks, reinforcing fasteners and repair tools to carry out prompt on-site maintenance.
Frontline repair workers note that there is no room for delay even in harsh rainy weather, as the migration schedule is tight.
"We'll keep working no matter how heavy the rain gets. The livestock transfer is underway these days. If we put off repairs on rainy days, the damaged bridges could lead to accidents," said Ayiding, a staff member from Shihezi Huayuan Town.
To date, all six damaged bridges along the mandatory summer migration routes have been fully restored, eliminating potential safety hazards along the journey. The transfer of the 21,000 head of livestock is progressing on schedule, with the final batches of animals recently setting out under local support and protection.
Xinjiang herders start summer livestock transfer amid road repairs
