Tadesse,73, had experienced and survived recurring droughts in the past. But he said, the current drought that has started mid-last year and accentuated by El Nino, has been the most severe. He lost 15 sheep and two cows. The animals died due to lack of food and water. All that are left now are skinny cow and a calf. His oxen, the very animal that helped him plow his land, could have been sold for 10,000 birr in the normal season. But with many farmers forced to sell their livestock before they get skinny and sick, the price of livestock plummeted because of oversupply.