Disadvantages of household livestock farming

(Baonghean) - Household livestock farming has a long tradition and is promoting positive economic efficiency; however, it is currently facing difficulties and weaknesses in environmental sanitation and epidemic prevention, so the risk of disease is very high. At the same time, due to the unstable market, traders often force down prices...

Cow farming model of Mr. Nguyen Thien Tam's family in hamlet 1, Khanh Son 2 commune (Nam Dan).

Mr. Le Thanh Ngoc's family in Bai Son commune (Do Luong) has been involved in the breeding and meat pig farming for many years, currently raising 4 sows and 10 meat pigs. For meat pigs, there are 3 litters per year, each litter costs 10 million VND for breeding pigs and 30 million VND for feed. With the current price of 51,000 VND/kg of live pigs (an increase of 4,000 VND/kg compared to May 2014), Mr. Ngoc's family earns 43 - 45 million VND. Thus, each litter of pigs raised for 4 months will bring in a profit of 3 - 5 million VND; 3 litters a year will bring in a profit of 15 million VND. For breeding pigs, Mr. Ngoc has 4 sows, each year they give birth 2 litters, and can produce about 80 breeding pigs, earning about 80 million VND, of which the investment capital is 50 million VND.

Thus, if both pigs for meat and pigs for breeding do not encounter risks during the raising process, Mr. Ngoc's family will only have a profit of about 35 - 45 million VND per year. If we count the labor and the initial investment in building the barn, the current pig farmers will not make a significant profit. However, because raising pigs is still the main occupation and produces several fields, Mr. Ngoc's family, like many other farming households, must continue this difficult work. Mr. Ngoc said: "If we do not raise pigs, it is a pity to throw away the leftovers such as bean dregs, vegetables, etc. Although the economic efficiency is not high, it is a job and helps people earn a living, and in fact, for many households, there is no other occupation...".

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Lam's family in Hamlet 8 - Nam Anh Commune (Nam Dan) has also had a tradition of raising pigs and cows for more than 30 years. Initially, their capacity was only able to raise one cow and a few pigs to take advantage of leftover food, vegetables, and bran in the house. Over time, his family has accumulated a large amount of money, and now his family has a total herd of 5 sows, 20 pigs, and 4 cows. Although he raises a lot, his family only uses industrial feed during the transition between two production seasons, when agricultural by-products are scarce. “My family raises pigs mainly to provide meat for people in the commune. Raising pigs in a way that takes advantage of food takes longer to sell, but the meat quality is delicious and guaranteed, so it is favored by consumers. In fact, raising pigs is not very economically efficient. From the time the pigs are brought to the farm to sell, the raising time lasts from 5 to 6 months. When the pigs reach a weight of 60 to 70 kg, they can be sold, and on average, each pig only makes a profit of no more than 500,000 VND. But because of the way of raising pigs, we see this as a form of saving money,” Mr. Lam shared.

Mr. Ho Viet Sy - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nam Anh Commune (Nam Dan) said: Nam Anh Commune has 1,828 households, of which 95% of the total number of households raise livestock and poultry according to the household model. Currently, the whole commune has 5,414 pigs, not including suckling pigs; 1,891 buffaloes, cows and more than 90,000 poultry. In addition to the above advantages, household-based livestock farming also has many problems. That is, the livestock barns are narrow, located within the family's premises and have not invested in a synchronous wastewater treatment system, so it is inevitable that they will pollute the surrounding environment. In addition, compliance with regulations on livestock farming still has many limitations. Some livestock farming households are still negligent in disease prevention, only performing vaccinations when there is a vaccination campaign but not proactively vaccinating their livestock. Because the livestock farming environment in residential areas is not guaranteed; The pathogens have not been thoroughly treated, so if there is an epidemic, the risk of an outbreak is very high...

To help household livestock farming improve production efficiency and strengthen environmental protection, last September, the Prime Minister issued Decision 50/2014/QD-TTg stipulating a number of policies to support livestock farming households. The Decision takes effect from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2020. Accordingly, beneficiaries of the above policy include households directly raising pigs, buffaloes, cows, and poultry, except for households raising livestock for businesses; and people providing artificial insemination services for livestock. Decision 50 is expected to contribute to solving the difficulties and challenges of household livestock farming, creating a stepping stone for the livestock industry to stand firm in the current market.

Article and photos:Ngoc Anh