Phong Phu: Effective breeding of goats and sheep

Economic efficiency

For a long time, Phong Phu has been known as a highland commune of Tuy Phong district with a typical agricultural product of green apples. Along with growing this advantageous crop, many households in the area have been raising large livestock such as goats and sheep, bringing high economic efficiency.

*Mr. Khanh successfully raises goats and grows apples.*

For example, Mr. Bui Van Khanh's family is one of the households that has combined livestock and crop farming in Phong Phu commune for many years. Mr. Khanh is raising 50 goats and growing 6 sao of green apples very effectively. According to the householder, before raising goats, the family had to spend over 50 million VND/year to buy fertilizer to care for the apple trees. However, since raising goats, thanks to using goat manure to care for the trees, on the other hand, taking advantage of tree leaves and apple branches to feed the goats, the cost is minimized, the economic efficiency is high, when earning a profit of 700 - 800 million VND/year. Currently, his family is maintaining 50 female goats, giving birth twice a year, each litter about 2 goats, with an average income of 2 million VND/goat, along with 6 sao of apples, they have proactively sourced fertilizer from livestock farming.

Mr. Phan Thanh Lam's household, village 1, Phong Phu commune, is equally excited, as his family has 7 sao of apple trees combined with raising more than 100 sheep in the past two years. Especially in 2024, the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center will support seeds and materials, along with using waste from existing apple growing to make animal feed. The returned sheep manure is composted and used to grow apples, so it is highly effective, saving tens of millions of VND in costs. Mr. Lam added that from birth to sale, the sheep are about 4 months old, weighing 12-15 kg/head, with a price of over 130,000 VND/kg. After deducting costs, the average profit is nearly 2 million VND/head. According to Mr. Lam, the lamb market is currently favorable, favored by the market, so he will expand in the coming time.

Phong Phu commune currently has nearly 9,000 people/2,346 households, people mainly produce agriculture, including 100 hectares of apple trees, 968 hectares of rice... In addition, people raise about 2,600 cows, 1,500 goats and 500 sheep... However, in recent years, due to the adverse impacts of climate change, along with increasing investment costs in livestock farming, it has directly affected livestock farming in general and sheep and goat farming in particular.

*Using apple tree waste as animal feed.*

*Goat and sheep manure is composted as fertilizer to help apple trees grow well.*

Climate change adaptation

From this reality, recently the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center has built a model of "Raising sheep to adapt to climate change in the South Central Coast region" with a scale of 105 sheep and "Raising commercial goats - Ensiling food from apple tree by-products" with a scale of 24 goats, 0.1 ha of grass, 9 tons of ensiled food implemented in Phong Phu commune.

In particular, Mr. Khanh and Mr. Lam's households are beneficiaries of this model. The purpose is to transfer new scientific and technical advances in animal husbandry such as food fermentation, use of licking stones, and vaccination. In addition, it aims to convert from large-scale livestock farming to goat and sheep farming in accordance with local advantages.

The provincial Agricultural Extension Center said that participating households are supported by the State with 70% of goat and sheep breeds, grass breeds, fertilizers, mixed feed, raw materials and feed bags, vaccines, licking stones... the rest must be contributed by households according to the correct techniques. After a period of raising goats, the average economic efficiency is 5.32 million VND/12 heads/household. Particularly for the model of raising breeding sheep, the male and female sheep grow and develop well and are continuing to be evaluated for economic efficiency in 2025.

From the model results, it is initially shown that the combination of raising livestock with composting available by-products on site is effective. Thereby contributing to increasing income and improving living standards. The model is highly appreciated by the government and people and helps farmers change their traditional farming methods. Especially taking advantage of the available apple orchard area, applying new technical advances to raising livestock such as using leaves, branches and apples to compost food for storage during the dry season.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/phong-phu-hieu-qua-chan-nuoi-de-cuu-sinh-san-130291.html