Raising BBB cows - a new and effective business direction for Nghe An farmers

High value beef

BBB (Blanc Blue Belge) cows have been piloted in Nghe An since 2017. After 15-18 months of raising, each cow can be sold for 65-70 million VND, after deducting expenses, farmers have a profit of 35-40 million VND. With such efficiency, many farming households in 16 districts of the plains and low mountains in the province have participated in breeding and raising this BBB cow breed.

Mr. Nguyen Nhu Hoe, residing in hamlet 2, Vinh Son commune (Anh Son) started breeding BBB cows withSind crossbred cowsof his family since 2020, up to now his family has raised 3 cows. According to current prices, each cow will earn about 65 - 70 million VND, after deducting costs, the profit is about 30 - 35 million VND/cow after about more than 1 year of raising.

“The weaned calves, about 6 months old, are currently priced at about 35 million VND/calf. However, because the farm is newly established, after breeding BBB cows with the family’s Sind crossbred cows, most of the calves are being kept and not sold yet,” Mr. Hoe added.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Hoang Nghia Hieu inspected the BBB cattle breeding model in Vinh Son commune (Anh Son). Photo: Tien Dong

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Trung - Chairman of Vinh Son Commune People's Committee said: Currently, the whole commune has over 200 households participating in raising BBB cows with about 250 cows. Compared to local cows, BBB cows have a massive body and sell for nearly double the price, so many households have registered to artificially inseminate BBB cows with their family's Sind crossbred cows. However, because the number is limited, the commune has also selected suitable households, in which priority is given to households that do not have BBB cows and households with large mother cows, suitable height and weight.

Currently, in the areaAnh Son district, to encourage people to multiply the BBB cow breed, each dose of semen and materials for breeding is being supported 100%, in addition, the locality also supports people with 50% of feed for raising animals.

According to research, the BBB cow breed originated from Belgium, is a high-yielding beef breed, for purebred cows (both parents are BBB cows), after 24 months they can reach a weight of 1.2 tons.

As for the crossbreed between BBB cows and local Sind crossbred cows, each cow weighs 5.5 to 6 quintals, with a meat yield of 66%. Because it is a super meat cow breed, large mother cows must be selected when breeding, and more food is required when raising cows. Between the ages of 6 months, 12 months and 24 months, farmers need to provide adequate green food (vegetables) and refined food (bran, corn flour) to ensure stable development.

With its large size, BBB cattle bring much higher economic value than local cattle breeds. Photo: Tien Dong

Replicating BBB cattle breed

Currently, localities such as Thanh Chuong, Tan Ky, Yen Thanh are among the districts where BBB cattle herds have developed quite strongly, becoming a new livestock farming direction bringing high income to many households.

Mr. Le Dinh Thanh - Vice Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People's Committee affirmed that after a pilot model of raising cattle in Ngoc Son and Thanh Ngoc communes in 2017, BBB cattle are now available in communes in the district. Compared to local cattle breeds, BBB cattle produce a very high amount of meat, bringing great economic value.

Currently, the district is also guiding people to expand BBB cattle breeding in the direction of the market, multiplying the BBB cattle herd to meet the supply of beef cattle for the market and even aiming for export if import and export activities return to normal.

Mr. Le Dinh Thanh - Vice Chairman of Thanh Chuong District People's Committee

However, according to many households, the current investment cost for a BBB cow is still quite high. If a family can breed calves themselves, it is still acceptable. If they have to buy calves to raise, the price is from 30-35 million VND/calf. Not to mention the average amount of concentrated feed for cows is about 2 kg of bran/day. Although this breed of cow is raised in barns, does not require much labor, and the food is easy to prepare, but because the investment cost is large, if a household does not have the conditions, it is very difficult to raise them.

BBB cattle are mainly raised in captivity, fed grass, bran, and corn flour. Photo: Tien Dong

In addition, because they are imported cows, they must be artificially inseminated, so the proactive source of breeds is not guaranteed. In mountainous districts such as Que Phong, Quy Chau, Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Con Cuong, due to free-range farming practices, the number of crossbred Sind cows is small and there is no human resource to serve the breeding by artificial inseminating, so BBB cows have not been raised by people.

In addition to foods such as elephant grass, corn bran, and rice bran, to effectively raise BBB cows for large weight, people must also activelyfattening cattle. When the cows reach adulthood, they can eat up to 30 kg of green feed and 3 kg of concentrated energy-rich feed every day. At the same time, care and prevention of foot-and-mouth disease, septicemia, and lumpy skin disease must also be fully ensured. If an epidemic occurs in the BBB herd, the damage to farmers will be huge.

Mr. Thai Khac Thanh - Head of Planning - Technical Department, Nghe An Livestock Breeding Center said: Since the beginning of 2017, from the provincial budget to support the construction of livestock development models in the area, the center has built a model of artificial insemination of BBB cows with a herd of Sind crossbred cows in the area. After a period of testing, it has now been replicated in 16 districts and towns with an average of more than 2,000 breeding animals/year.

To develop the BBB cattle breed, Mr. Thanh also emphasized that localities also need to integrate many programs to widely replicate this breed, both helping poor households to escape poverty and at the same time, building a high-quality herd of cattle to supply the market. At the same time, gradually change livestock farming practices, from widespread farming without investment to farming with the application of artificial insemination techniques, selecting good breeds, intensive farming, ensuring disease safety, forming a sustainable profession.