Raising ostriches in a mountain village earns half a billion dong

(Baonghean.vn) - Hardworking, quick-witted, and creative in economic development, Mr. Tran Dinh Van in Dien Luc hamlet, Ky Son commune, Tan Ky district has successfully built a comprehensive livestock farm with an income of more than 450 million VND per year. This is also the first household in Tan Ky district to raise ostriches and the livestock has initially developed well.

With an area of ​​nearly 5 hectares of garden land, Mr. Tran Dinh Van has worked hard to renovate and plan systematically to develop livestock farming. Of which, he dug ponds in more than 3,000 m2 of low-lying areas to raise fish such as silver carp, bighead carp, and common carp. Thanks to the proactive food source completely from agricultural by-products, the investment cost is low, the fish grow quickly, thereby providing clean food to improve the family's daily meals, and selling over 1.5 tons of various types of fish to the market each year, increasing the family's income from 50 to 70 million VND.

Mr. Tran Dinh Van's integrated livestock farm.

On the hillside, Mr. Van also arranged a zone to raise wild boars. In early 2016, he raised 200 pigs. At this time, his family sold the remaining 60 pigs, including 12 for breeding to proactively have breeds. Especially recently, his family raised 10 more ostriches. Raising ostriches requires a high cost of buying breeds, each weighing 3kg costs 3 million VND. However, as wild animals, from the stage of building cages to food is very simple, mainly grass, corn, cassava. After 5 months of raising, it has been shown that this animal is easy to raise, gains weight quickly, each pig gains over 10kg per month, does not take much time to care for, has the ability to withstand heat, cold and good disease resistance.

Mr. Tran Dinh Van shared: "Ostriches are suitable for local conditions, so I bought them to raise and initially had many advantages, promising high income. I am willing to share the raising method with many other households to develop livestock farming.".

Ostriches are easy to raise and gain weight quickly. Ostriches gain about 10kg/bird per month.

By both learning and accumulating experience through practical animal husbandry, especially mastering the biological characteristics of each animal species, and applying the correct technical care process from diet to living environment, the livestock have all developed well, bringing a total income of more than 450 million VND to Mr. Van's family each year. Currently, Mr. Van's livestock farm is one of 28 effective livestock models in Ky Son commune.

Mr. Chu Quoc Te - Chairman of the Farmers' Association of Ky Son commune said: "Ky Son commune is striving to reach the new rural destination in 2017, therefore, the Party Committee and the commune government encourage the development of economic models for high income. The economic model of Mr. Tran Dinh Van's family in Dien Luc hamlet, Ky Son commune is a typical example. We are currently continuing to monitor and direct replication in the area.".

From the integrated livestock farm, especially boldly introducing new livestock species, Mr. Tran Dinh Van's model opens up a new direction for economic development for the people here. From there, it will exploit the strengths of land, abundant rural labor, food sources from agricultural by-products, contributing to diversifying the livestock structure, promoting sustainable local economic development.

Cam Tu - Trong Hung

Tan Ky Radio