Wild ducks lay 'golden eggs', farmers in low-lying, acidic soil areas reap high profits.

From a wild waterfowl species, the wild duck has become a "golden egg" livestock for farmers in the acidic lowlands of My Phuoc commune (My Tu district, Soc Trang province).

It's as easy as raising regular poultry.

The pioneer in raising wild ducks in My Phuoc commune is Ms. Nguyen Thi Nguyen (37 years old). She recounts that after researching and realizing that the wild duck farming model was suitable for the natural conditions, in 2015, she bought a few dozen ducklings to try raising them. However, after a few months of experimentation, seeing that the ducks were becoming increasingly weak, she decided to let the pair of wild ducks live closer to their natural environment.

Ms. Nguyen raises wild ducks in a semi-wild environment, resulting in high-quality meat.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

Wild ducks are naturally adaptable to all weather conditions, so Ms. Nguyen raised them in a large pond where they could move freely, and with proper vaccinations, the farming process was quite convenient and easy. Because the low-lying, acidic soil of My Phuoc has forests and a natural ecosystem suitable for raising wild ducks, the flock grew quickly and suffered few diseases.

After a few batches, seeing the low mortality rate and the ducks growing and developing well, Ms. Nguyen decided to invest in expanding the model, buying more breeding stock to increase the flock. Every day, she spends a lot of time with the ducks, patiently feeding them regularly and on time. Initially, they were scared, flapping their wings and flying around frantically, but after a few days they gradually got used to it. In just a short time raising them, Ms. Nguyen has grasped the characteristics of this waterfowl species.

Wild ducks can be sold after about 2 months of raising, and they start breeding after 8 months.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

To breed ducks effectively, the ratio of male to female must be 5 females to 1 male. Regarding the enclosure, the sides should be surrounded by netting, but there's no need for netting on top, as this breed of wild duck has been domesticated and cannot fly like wild ducks.

"Wild ducks are wild animals that love to swim and are excellent flyers, but after a period of domestication, they only stay within the breeding area. Although the ducks are domesticated, their wild nature remains, so breeders must maintain a distance from them to avoid frightening them," Ms. Nguyen shared.

Wild ducks are easy to raise, grow quickly, and can adapt to environments with acidic water.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

Wild ducks have a fairly simple diet: rice, water hyacinth, banana trees, snails, bran… things readily available around the house, so the investment cost is low. Ducks can be sold after about 2 months of raising. From 8 months onwards, they start laying eggs and lay continuously for 9 months of the year.

According to Ms. Nguyen, because the ducks are raised in a semi-wild environment, their meat is very firm and delicious. These characteristics are what make them popular in the market. Currently, Ms. Nguyen's flock of wild ducks numbers nearly 1,000. Each month, she sells several hundred meat ducks and over 2,000 ducklings, earning a profit of nearly 20 million VND per month.

Join forces to raise wild ducks and get rich together.

Recognizing the practical benefits of raising wild ducks, many households in My Phuoc have replicated the model. Currently, there are dozens of households raising them, with a total flock of several thousand ducks.

The main food sources are rice, water hyacinth, bran, banana trees, snails, etc., all of which are easily found in the home garden, so the cost is low.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

Mr. Le Vu Phuong (50 years old), a wild duck farmer in My Phuoc commune, said: "Raising these ducks is quite easy because they have better disease resistance compared to regular ducks. However, we still have to vaccinate them against avian influenza such as H5N1. Thanks to wild ducks, my family and many local people have a very good and stable source of income."

Based on the economic benefits, in 2020, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of My Tu District, in coordination with My Phuoc Commune, established the Truong Giang Livestock Cooperative with 28 members. The cooperative serves as a hub for transferring livestock farming techniques, supplying breeding stock, and guaranteeing the purchase of products for its members.

Thanks to the successful domestication and breeding of wild ducks, the lives and incomes of many farmers in the acidic lowlands of My Phuoc have been improved and increased.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

Mr. Le Van Trung, Director of Truong Giang Livestock Cooperative, said that to meet market demand, the cooperative has installed 4 egg incubators with a capacity of 6,400 eggs, 1 feather plucking machine, and 1 vacuum packaging machine to preserve duck meat for distribution to markets outside the local area. On average, the cooperative supplies more than 2,000 ducks for meat and nearly 4,000 ducklings per month, generating billions of dong in profit annually.

Mr. Le Vu Phuong (40 years old), a member of Truong Giang Livestock Cooperative, said that in recent years, wild ducks have been sought after by many people, especially specialty restaurants. In addition, he incubates most of the duck eggs, achieving a hatching rate of 90%, and the cooperative guarantees the purchase of 100% of the eggs. Annually, after deducting expenses, he earns a profit of nearly 200 million VND.

Wild ducks lay eggs continuously for 9 months.

PHOTO: DUY TAN

The successful domestication of wild ducks not only opens up an economic development direction suitable for the acidic soil conditions of the low-lying area but also demonstrates the flexibility and responsiveness of the people in transforming production models. From a few small-scale farmers, this model is now forming an effective supply chain, helping farmers in My Phuoc earn high incomes.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/vit-troi-de-trung-vang-nong-dan-vung-dat-trung-phen-thu-lai-cao-185250512104933448.htm