Lean Environmental Solutions

Guide · Georgia

Hard winter and feed shortage

When hay runs out before spring grass, animals die in large numbers, and families take years to recover.

Who and when

Heavy snow in February 2025 hit greenhouses, livestock farms and stores in Guria and Imereti. Flocks on the Vashlovani winter pastures are limited mainly by water points.

Winters are getting milder, but summer drought is getting worse, and drought means less hay.

Right now

Right now (autumn 2026)

  • No official winter outlook yet.
Before

Before: get ready

Animals

  1. Do the feed sum now (October): number of animals × days until green grass × daily ration. Compare it with the hay you have. Redo it every month.
  2. Sell weak, old and surplus animals now, while they are in good condition and prices are high (October–November).
  3. Get hay off the ground and under a cover before the first snow. In US trials this cut losses from about 37% to about 8% (general practice, check locally).
  4. Check water lines and troughs before the first hard freeze.
  5. Join the autumn vaccination round. Deworm before winter (general practice, check locally).
  6. Decide which animals get the best shelter and feed: pregnant ewes and goats, and young stock.

Buildings and greenhouses

  1. In November, fix shelters and windbreaks. Check that barn and greenhouse roofs can carry snow.

Money: agro-insurance does not cover livestock. Plant the Future closed on 1 Jul 2026; the State Agro Co-financing Programme pays up to 50% of a livestock farm project, such as hay barns, sheds and water.

During

During: when it hits

  1. Clear snow from barn and greenhouse roofs. In February 2025, people died when roofs collapsed.
  2. If the feed sum shows you will run out, sell one or two animals early to buy feed, not late when prices fall. In Mongolia, acting before the end of January saved more animals.
  3. Feed breeding females and young stock first.
  4. Keep water free of ice.
  5. Watch for warnings.
After

After: recover

First days

  • Count your losses. Take photos with date, time and place.
  • Dead animals: sudden death with blood from the openings may be anthrax; don't open the body. Never sell or eat the meat. Call the National Food Agency. Don't graze or dig at old anthrax burial sites.

First weeks

  • Get the vet.
  • Don't put animals on spring pasture too early. Join the spring vaccination round.
  • Expect a slow recovery.

Money and help

  • Write down every call (date, name). Your photos and records make your case.
  • After the February 2025 snow, the RDA gave grants of 25,000 GEL (greenhouse), 40,000 GEL (livestock farm) and 100,000 GEL (store), paid only after full rebuilding and only to farms from earlier RDA programmes. That round closed on 30 Nov 2025. The Red Cross also helped. RDA hotline: 1501.
Build back better

Build back better

  • Keep a fodder reserve big enough for a long winter.
  • Write down your sell-early trigger in advance: how many days of feed left before you sell.
  • Build stronger roofs and check snow load on greenhouses.
  • Next summer, plant fodder crops: maize, sorghum or soy; alfalfa only where there is water.

What the farm check looks for

Fewer days of feed in the barn than days until spring grass. Hay outside and uncovered. Missed vaccinations. Weak roofs.

Get a free farm check

Sources