Nguyen Duy Lanh (left cover) advises customers on choosing guinea pigs.

Graduated from the University of Agriculture and Forestry, with the strength of knowledge in cultivation and animal husbandry, after graduation, Nguyen Duy Lanh had a stable job in the South. However, deep in his heart, the young man's wishes were always directed towards his homeland.

Lanh said: “Since I was a child, I grew up with the fields, so my dreams were all related to farming and raising livestock right on my homeland. When I first graduated, I didn’t have much experience or money , so I had to put my cherished plans aside until the right time to return.”

The opportunity for the young man with a passion for agriculture came in early 2022. Partly because his health could not meet the harsh requirements of the job, partly because he saw favorable factors and his path was clear.

Choosing the guinea pig and rabbit breeding model to start a business, although not a new pet, rabbits and guinea pigs have great advantages. Duy Lanh analyzed: “Rabbits and guinea pigs have many advantages. First of all, they can eat agricultural by-products and waste such as straw, corn, and vegetables. Next, in the care process, breeders can take advantage of their free time to take care of them. Moreover, with the trend of modern life, the demand for food and entertainment increases, and pet animals are also popular. Therefore, the market for rabbits and guinea pigs is still very open for those who know how to seize the opportunity.”

The advantages are great, but they also come with equally great risks. Among them, harsh weather conditions are the first obstacle Lanh encountered when she wanted to domesticate rabbits and guinea pigs in her homeland.

The young man said: “During the cold spell of 2023, I was very surprised when the temperature of the cage dropped to 12 degrees Celsius. As a species sensitive to changes in the weather, when it is too hot or too cold, guinea pigs are susceptible to heat shock. In addition, the food source and the way to promote the products that I make to many people also face many difficulties.”

Therefore, when it was cold and rainy outside, Duy Lanh often stayed up all night to monitor the temperature and keep the cage warm. With the food source, proactively taking advantage of agricultural waste and by-products, Lanh also planted grass to maintain a reasonable diet, ensuring that the rabbits and guinea pigs grow well.

On average, a mother guinea pig can give birth to 4.5 - 5 litters each year, each litter has 1 - 5 babies. Depending on the different types of guinea pigs such as Vietnamese guinea pigs, Aby, California or Ame guinea pigs, the price will range from 110 - 600 thousand VND/baby.

With a combined marketing method, both through street sales, social networks, and wholesale to pet stores, with more than 100 breeding mothers and reasonable, competitive prices for rabbits and mice, Nguyen Duy Lanh's rabbit and guinea pig farm is increasingly known. The supply of meat rabbits and guinea pigs cannot meet the demand.

Commenting on Nguyen Duy Lanh's model of raising rabbits and guinea pigs, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thinh, Secretary of the Youth Union of Huong Xuan Ward, said: "As a new combined farming model in the ward, Nguyen Duy Lanh's rabbit and guinea pig farm brings in a good income, both taking advantage of local agricultural waste and creating a new direction for economic development. Along with accompanying and supporting activities, the Youth Union of the ward will guide and create conditions to help Mr. Lanh borrow capital and expand the start-up model."

Article and photos: Mai Hue