The "Breeding Cattle" model

Việt Nam•18/03/2024

The "Cattle Breeding" model in Thuan Chau district and the city, developed and implemented by the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, has contributed to the expansion of cattle farming towards commercial production, good disease control, and economic efficiency for livestock farmers.

Households in Trung Tam village, Chieng Den commune, participate in the "Breeding Cattle" model.

Launched in 2023, the model involved 22 households who are members of cooperatives in Chieng Den commune, Da Nang City, and E Tong commune, Thuan Chau district. The model received 70% government support for breeding stock, materials, feed, and salt licks; the remaining 30% was contributed by the participating cooperatives. The model provided 16 Sindhi crossbred cows, over 8 tons of compound feed, and 46 salt licks; and organized training courses on biosecure livestock farming, barn construction techniques, breed selection, care and feeding, feed nutrition in cattle farming, and veterinary procedures for disease prevention and treatment.

Mr. Lo Van Chuong's household in Tam Quynh village, Chieng Den commune, City, is one of 12 members of the Dong Tam Cooperative participating in the model; they received support including one breeding cow, 400 kg of compound feed, and salt licks for breeding cows. Mr. Chuong shared: "By participating in the model, we received support and technical advice from provincial agricultural extension officers on scientific and efficient livestock farming. This has completely changed our perception of cattle farming. From raising cows using traditional methods, my family has applied biosecurity measures, confined cow farming, and increased the variety of feed sources using starch, fiber, and silage to ensure nutritional supplementation for the cows."

Also a member of the Dong Tam Cooperative, Mr. Quang Van Muon, from Trung Tam village, Chieng Den commune, City, shared: "My family's farm currently has 20 crossbred Sind cattle, 3B cattle for commercial purposes, and local cattle. In terms of physical condition, the crossbred Sind cattle are larger and healthier than local cattle, easily adapting to the living environment and developing well. We plan to implement artificial insemination and natural methods to crossbreed the Sind cattle with 3B commercial cattle, boosting the development of large-scale livestock farming and increasing family income."

Participating in the "Breeding Cattle" model, the Efarm Ecological Agricultural Cooperative in Bản Tở, É Tòng commune, Thuận Châu district, received support in the form of 10 Sind crossbred cows and 3.6 tons of compound feed. Ms. Lò Thị Bưởi, Director of the Efarm Ecological Agricultural Cooperative in Bản Tở, É Tòng commune, Thuận Châu district, commented: Members of the cooperative have changed their old farming practices, adopting biosecure farming methods, reducing disease outbreaks, improving product quality, creating a safe farming environment, and ensuring the health of both farmers and consumers.

Raising breeding cows in enclosed pens is attracting many farmers to invest in order to increase their income and improve their family's living standards. For this model to be successful, farmers need to have a solid understanding of how to select breeding cows, how to care for them from the mother cow to the calf, and how to apply good biosecurity techniques in livestock farming, disease prevention, and control to ensure healthy cows with low disease incidence and rapid weight gain.

Mr. Cong Xuan Ngoc, Director of the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center, said: To promote the effectiveness of the model, the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center continues to coordinate with the City Agricultural Service Center and Thuan Chau district, sending technical staff to regularly inspect and monitor the growth and development of the cattle herd, advise and introduce breeding methods for cattle to households participating in the model, contributing to improving the cattle herd, promoting the development of large livestock farming, creating jobs, and increasing income for farmers.

Text and photos: Phan Trang

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