Korea sees growing livestock losses from unprecedented heat wave

Chickens are seen inside a poultry farm in Danyang County, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday, when the daytime high reached 35 degrees Celsius amid a heat wave. Yonhap

A relentless heat wave sweeping across Korea is causing unprecedented livestock losses nationwide, with authorities reporting a dramatic surge in farm animal deaths as temperatures continue to soar.

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, Thursday, 160,123 farm animals died nationwide on Tuesday alone, with poultry accounting for 158,006 among them. The remaining 2,117 were pigs.

Farm animals are highly sensitive to heat. Optimal temperatures range from 10 to 20 degrees Celsius for beef cattle, 5 to 20 degrees for dairy cows, 15 to 25 degrees for pigs and 16 to 24 degrees for chickens.

When temperatures exceed critical thresholds — 30 degrees for cattle and chickens, 27 degrees for pigs and dairy cows — animals experience reduced feed intake, stunted growth and in severe cases, death.

The scale of the crisis is staggering. From May 20 to Tuesday, 379,475 animals perished, a 7.6-fold increase compared to 49,799 recorded in the same period last year.

The daily toll has nearly doubled in just 24 hours, from 81,970 animals on Monday to just over 160,000 on Tuesday.

Regional data show North Jeolla Province was hit hardest with 87,144 livestock deaths, followed by South Jeolla with 81,515, North Gyeongsang with 52,195, South Chungcheong with 50,962, North Chungcheong with 43,049 and South Gyeongsang with 36,772.

Notably, North Jeolla Province — home to many poultry farms — has seen daily losses of around 20,000 chickens and ducks over the past three days.

Ducks drink water from pipelines at a poultry farm in Naju, South Jeolla Province, July 2, amid heat wave. Newsis.

In one incident, a farm in Gokseong County lost 15,900 chickens in a single day, resulting in damage estimated at 17 million won. Another report from Yeongnam County detailed the death of 1,600 ducks, incurring damages of 5 million won. The total financial loss in South Jeolla Province has reached nearly 1.28 billion won.

Meanwhile, the temperature continues to climb nationwide amid sweltering heat, with the mercury reaching daytime highs around 36 degrees.

Forecasts warn that heat indices will remain around 35 degrees in western and inland regions, while tropical nights are expected to persist.

A mist sprayer cools cattle at a beef farm in Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Yonhap