"Breakthrough" from livestock farming models

(Baonghean) - For a long time, Nghi Loc has exploited the potential of raising poultry such as chickens, ducks... to develop the economy. Recently, Nghi Loc has had a "breakthrough" in raising livestock. Many households have boldly entered into joint ventures and partnerships to invest in raising livestock according to a model applying advanced technology, which has initially brought about efficiency...

From raising super lean foreign pigs

Mr. Tran Van Dinh's high-tech imported sow farm in Khe Lo, Nghi Cong commune, was built in a valley of nearly 8 hectares, surrounded by cool green pine hills. This is the model of a super lean sow farm that is currently considered the largest in Nghi Loc district. When entering this farm, we could not help but feel surprised because all stages are carried out in a closed, very strict process. Before entering the breeding area to take pictures, we had to go to the "disinfectant" bathroom, then were given clothes and boots to enter the barn. Mr. Le Anh Tuan - the executive officer said: This farm is associated with CPI Thai Joint Stock Company, built from 2011 to early 2014 before being put into use. The company supports veterinary medicine, technology, and product consumption after the farm investor completes the investment in building infrastructure that meets technical standards as required with an investment value of over 30 billion VND.

Super lean pig farm of Mr. Tran Van Dinh - Nghi Cong (Nghi Loc).

The farm is built very scientifically and reasonably. The pig pens are divided into separate areas including: pregnant sow pens, farrowing pig pens, gilt pens and breeding pens. All rows of pens are equipped with air conditioning systems; air filtration systems, ventilation fans to remove odors. In addition, the works, electricity and water systems are built synchronously, especially the waste treatment facility is built with a biogas tank system, 5 biological ponds to ensure waste treatment. Up to now, the farm has received 1,200 imported sows with a stable breeding process, the sow herd is growing healthily. It is expected that by the end of October 2014, the farm will sell the first batch of breeding pigs, an average of 300 farrowing sows/month, selling 2,000 breeding pigs/month. Mr. Dinh's farm currently creates jobs for over 40 workers with a salary of over 4.2 million VND/person/month.

In Nghi Van commune, Nghi Loc, Mr. Truong Van Hai has joined with a number of households to establish Tam Thai Investment and Development Joint Stock Company. The enterprise is building a farm for foreign sows and meat pigs with a scale of 3,000 meat pigs and 500 sows. The breeding area is 3.5 hectares wide with 5 rows of barns invested in a closed scale, applying high technology such as using automatic pig feeding equipment, disinfection spraying system. The wastewater treatment system includes 2 biogas tanks and 4 biological ponds. The total investment of the project is over 12 billion VND. When put into operation, the farm will create stable jobs for over 40 local workers.

…To the Australian cattle farm

Following Provincial Road 534, we found the Australian cattle farm, which is considered the largest and most extensive in the province, owned by Mr. Nguyen Van Sy in Hamlet 2, Nghi Lam Commune, Nghi Loc. Mr. Nguyen Van Sy discussed the "fate" of raising Australian cattle: "Through research, we found that although the market demand is large, the buffalo and beef cattle industry in Vietnam is slow to develop, even declining, the quality of domestic buffalo and beef is not high. Meanwhile, the source of live cattle from Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia is decreasing and the selling price is high. On the other hand, live cattle imported from Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN countries to Vietnam are only subject to a 5% tax, while fresh buffalo and beef is up to 14-30%, imported frozen meat is also from 14-20%. Therefore, we have "joint ventures and partnerships" to invest capital to build a farm to import Australian cattle to fatten and sell to the domestic market".

With that mindset, in 2013, Mr. Sy invested in building a barn with a total value of over 15 billion VND on a campus of nearly 6.5 hectares, and by early 2014 it was put into use with a scale of raising 3,500 cows. “We went to Australia to sign a contract and only raised 2,000-2,500 cows. Raising them in a “fattening” style takes 25-30 days before selling them. Australian cows are brought back by sea at Cua Lo port and then transported by truck to the farm,” said Mr. Sy. The farm also hired livestock engineers to quantify feed and monitor diseases for the herd. In addition, when returning to Vietnam, Australian cows are fed grass and corn like traditional domestic cows, instead of eating expensive industrial pellet feed like in Australia. Therefore, in order to provide fresh food for the cows, the farm has signed contracts with households in Nghi Van, Nghi Lam (Nghi Loc) and many households in Tan Ky, Quy Hop, Nghia Dan districts to grow grass, corn, sugarcane, providing over 40 tons for the farm every day.

All of these feeds are machine-cut, dried and stored for cows. The effectiveness of raising Australian cows is very clear, in just 1 month of fattening, the weight of the cows usually increases by 15-20 kg/head. From the beginning of 2014 until now, this facility has imported over 8,000 Australian cows, mainly consumed in the markets of Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa and some southern provinces. Right in Nghe An, 3 Australian cow slaughterhouses have been established in Nghi Phu commune. Mr. Nguyen Van Sy's Australian cow farm in Nghi Lam has created jobs for over 40 workers with stable wages.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Tho - Head of the Department of Agriculture of Nghi Loc district said: Nghi Loc district currently has 256 farms, livestock farms, including 50 large-scale farms, however, only 3 farms have invested in large-scale, closed-loop farming. Households that jointly invest capital, the district can only support 50 million VND/farm that meets the criteria and support additional funding for vaccination, sprayers, refrigerators to preserve vaccines, etc. Currently, Nghi Loc is continuing to plan the development of livestock farms and encourage and attract individuals, businesses, and households to jointly venture and link to build and develop large-scale, closed-loop, high-tech livestock farming. Because Nghi Loc has many areas far from residential areas suitable for investing in large-scale livestock farms concentrated in the communes of Nghi Kieu, Nghi Lam, Nghi Cong Bac, Nghi Cong Nam, Nghi Dong.

The initial success of high-tech livestock farms in Nghi Loc has opened a new direction, shifting from small-scale, backward livestock farming to large-scale, concentrated livestock farming with sustainable efficiency, contributing to job creation for workers and improving people's lives. However, to develop the farm economy in the direction of high technology, Nghi Loc needs the State to support preferential loans to build infrastructure because the investment capital to build each farm is usually from 12-30 billion VND.

Van Truong