Impact of an Unprecedented Cold Spell on Northern Sri Lankan Cattle Farms: A Tale of Devastation

This case study examines the impact of an unprecedented cold spell in December 2022 on livestock farming in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka, focusing on the experiences of a farmer in the Vavuniya District.

• In December 2022, Sri Lanka experienced an unprecedented temperature drop to approximately 17°C, falling significantly below the typical December average of 23-30°C. This event was caused by a cold front, smog, and polluted air from India, and was particularly severe in the Northern and Eastern regions.
• The sudden cold spell caused significant livestock mortality and financial loss for farmers in the Northern and Eastern regions. In one specific case in the Vavuniya District, a farmer lost 11 cattle—including a stud bull, three milking cows, three pregnant cows, a one-and-a-half-year-old cow, and three calves—representing a direct loss of nearly 20 times the family's average monthly income.
• The high mortality rate among cattle during the cold spell is attributed to poor nutritional status and inadequate management. Animals managed through extensive grazing, especially during the rice farming season when they are restricted to forests and protected areas, lack the nutrition necessary to cope with temperature fluctuations outside their usual ranges.
• To build resilience against future extreme weather events, the document recommends improving nutritional management of livestock, ensuring year-round sufficient feed, providing special diets for underweight animals, developing weather-resistant cattle shed infrastructure, and establishing compensation mechanisms for farmers.

APA

Lankapura, A. (2023). Impact of an Unprecedented Cold Spell on Northern Sri Lankan Cattle Farms: A Tale of Devastation. Global Resilience Partnership. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/impact-of-an-unprecedented-cold-spell-on-northern-sri-lankan-cattle-farms-a-tale-of-devastation/

Chicago

Lankapura, Amila. Impact of an Unprecedented Cold Spell on Northern Sri Lankan Cattle Farms: A Tale of Devastation. Global Resilience Partnership, 2023. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/impact-of-an-unprecedented-cold-spell-on-northern-sri-lankan-cattle-farms-a-tale-of-devastation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lankapura |first1=Amila |title=Impact of an Unprecedented Cold Spell on Northern Sri Lankan Cattle Farms: A Tale of Devastation |publisher=Global Resilience Partnership |date=1 August 2023 |url=https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/impact-of-an-unprecedented-cold-spell-on-northern-sri-lankan-cattle-farms-a-tale-of-devastation/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lankapura2023impact, author = {Lankapura, Amila}, title = {{Impact of an Unprecedented Cold Spell on Northern Sri Lankan Cattle Farms: A Tale of Devastation}}, institution = {Global Resilience Partnership}, year = {2023}, month = aug, url = {https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/impact-of-an-unprecedented-cold-spell-on-northern-sri-lankan-cattle-farms-a-tale-of-devastation/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }