Farmers in Nathong village, Hinheup district, Vientiane province, are concerned by the deaths of their livestock for no apparent reason.
Local resident Mr Bounthan Thaphabmixay said six of his buffalo and three cattle died after it rained at the beginning of this month.
He was unable to say why the animals had died, and said he could not remember anything like it happening before.
He suspected the reason might be excessive use of herbicide on a nearby rubber plantation and upland rice fields. Villagers were ready to harvest their wet season rice after the livestock were put out to graze in the fields.
When it rains, the chemical-laden herbicides sprayed on the grass run downhill into pasture land, and this may be the reason the livestock fell ill and died.
Mr Bounthan said the owners of the animals that died were preparing to vaccinate their livestock against cold season diseases.
Other livestock in nearby communities including Mouk village have also died, but there has been no confirmation of the reason for their death.
So far no provincial or government officials have visited the area to investigate the cattle deaths, and Mr Bounthan said he was afraid more animals would die.
While the deaths won't affect the supply of meat to markets, it is a small tragedy for local people, whose already meager income is reduced still further.
From October to December last year the provincial livestock and fisheries section worked with district authorities to vaccinate 3,500 buffalo and cattle in Vientiane against cold season diseases, especially haemorrhagic fever and anthrax, said section Head Soumkham Southammavong.
The section is encouraging district authorities to continue vaccinations by providing vaccines and equipment to each district.
“Unfortunately this work isn't going very well because we lack funding for local staff to carry out these activities,” he said.
Mr Soumkham said he had also heard reports of livestock deaths in Phonghong and Kasy districts but these were not clear, so the section would coordinate with district authorities for closer cooperation.
Every year buffalo and cattle in Vientiane province die from haemorrhagic fever as only 20 percent of animals have been vaccinated. This falls far short of the yearly plan for 70-80 percent of livestock to be immunised.
To reach this target, the province must spend about 50 million kip a year, said Mr Soumkham.
In the next rainy season it is inevitable that more animals will be infected with foot and mouth disease, when many calves die because they cannot drink their mother's milk.
