Duck farming association - Good practice in Yen Thanh
(Baonghean.vn) - Currently, the movement of raising ducks, especially laying ducks, is developing strongly in rural areas. Managing duck flocks is very difficult, because the breeders do not participate in any organization, each person does their own thing. Many households become rich from raising laying ducks, but many households "go bankrupt" because of ducks. The reason is due to the use of poor quality feed and diseases, originating from the breeders' lack of knowledge and experience.
After the incident of dozens of duck farming households in Yen Thanh district suffering from using poor quality feed in early 2011, 30 duck farming households in the communes of Nam Thanh, Khanh Thanh, Bao Thanh, Vien Thanh, Cong Thanh, My Thanh... voluntarily established a duck-laying association. After 8 months of operation, the association has initially seen its effectiveness.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Thao, the head of the association, said: In April 2011, the Yen Thanh Duck Breeding Association was established on a voluntary basis and with the consent of the District Gardening Association. The 30 members mainly raise laying ducks, with the largest household having 3,000 ducks and the minimum 500 ducks (at that time, the association had over 30,000 laying ducks). After the association was established, the members were invited to attend training courses on experience in raising laying ducks.
After joining the duck farming association, Mr. Nguyen Huu Thanh and his wife in Nam Thanh commune invested in improving the quantity and quality of their duck flock.
After the training, members are equipped with basic knowledge about duck farming in general, especially how to prevent diseases in each stage of duck development. Thanks to participating in training courses, members have a better understanding of how to raise laying ducks to achieve a high egg-laying rate, and know how to choose effective food. In particular, some members who previously specialized in raising free-range ducks are now investing in zoning for raising and confining ducks, limiting the occurrence of diseases in ducks. In addition, the association is also interested in and prioritized by relevant agencies to provide vaccines to prevent diseases for duck flocks.
Up to now, the total number of ducks in the association has increased to nearly 60 thousand (nearly double the number when the association was first established). Previously, members often raised grass ducks, but now they have replaced them with higher weight duck breeds, such as: ground gourd, white gourd, and tall-necked ducks (super eggs). Yen Thanh duck breeding association has 3 members who have invested in building incubators, so the members are the main source of eggs for the incubators to operate, and the incubators are also the place where eggs are consumed by members.
However, the association's activities still have many limitations. According to Mr. Thao, the most difficult and limited problem is that the association has not yet agreed on the use of a single type of feed for ducks. Members use many different types of feed for ducks, which cannot be managed. Besides, there is a lack of vaccines and disinfectants to spray barns to prevent disease.
The duck breeding association is a support for members to boldly invest in breeding. However, in order for the association to operate more effectively, relevant levels and sectors need to orient the association's activities, especially the use of feed for ducks must be unified. Every year, levels and sectors also need to create conditions for the association to participate in training courses so that members are equipped with more knowledge about science and technology of duck breeding.
Xuan Hoang
