Phu Son: Raising Mong Cai pigs for high efficiency

(Baonghean)-With the capital from the Production Development Support Component for People in Extremely Difficult Areas from Program 135/CP, in June 2012, the Tan Ky District Department of Agriculture distributed Mong Cai pig breeds to ethnic minorities in Phu Son Commune, with a quantity of 48 pigs. Up to now, most of the families that received pigs to raise have promoted efficiency...

In order for breeding pigs to be distributed to the right subjects, before implementing this program, hamlets receiving pigs must organize meetings to vote for households eligible to receive pigs. After hamlets agree on the subjects receiving pigs, the district organizes a training course on sow raising techniques, along with each household being supported with a Mong Cai sow weighing 15-20 kg. Before distributing pigs to people to raise, veterinary station staff will vaccinate against common diseases in pigs: anthrax, cholera, foot and mouth disease. In addition, during the raising process, households are also instructed on how to build barns, how to detect pigs in heat, how to mate, how to care for and raise sows in the early stages, the pregnancy stage, the farrowing and raising stages, how to care for piglets and prevent common diseases in pigs.

Commune officials and Mon Son village chief visited the pigs of Ms. Vi Thi Tu's family.

Mon Son is the most difficult hamlet of Phu Son commune at present, with 67% of households being poor. Since receiving sows from Program 135/CP, the households here have raised pigs with practical economic efficiency. Hamlet chief Vi Van Duc took us around to check the pig herd, then said: Last June, the district provided 9 Mong Cai sows and 2 crossbred Sind calves. Before receiving the breeding pigs, the hamlet held a meeting and voted on the families who received the pigs. After more than 1 year of raising, 100% of the sows have given birth to 1-2 litters.

At the pig farm of Mr. Lo Van Nhan's family, we saw that the pig farming system, although not spacious and airy, showed that the family was aware of raising sows. One compartment was for keeping the mother pig, the other for releasing the piglets. Mr. Nhan happily boasted: Thanks to the support of the state, the family has sows to raise. Previously, the family often bought breeding pigs from the lowlands, when bought they looked very beautiful, but the more they raised them, the uglier they became and they grew slowly, and they also died from disease. The family adopted this sow over a year ago, it should have given birth to 2 litters, but because the first litter was spoiled, the first litter only gave birth to 11 piglets. It was the first time the family raised sows, and raising them was easy, after the sow gave birth, both the mother pig and the piglets were healthy. The family plans to keep 4 of these piglets to raise for meat, and sell the rest to neighbors. Previously, buying pig breeds from the lowlands, there were diseases, poor quality, and unsuitable climate and care conditions, so many times we lost hundreds of thousands of dong because of pigs.

Through inspection and evaluation, many households receiving Mong Cai sows in Mon Son hamlet have had 1-2 litters, each litter has at least 6 pigs. Hamlet chief Vi Van Duc happily said: Since receiving pigs to raise and being trained in breeding techniques for breeding sows, people have had access to new science and technology in sow breeding, proactively creating a source of disease-free piglets locally, ensuring a stable supply of piglets locally, creating conditions for people to have income from raising pigs. Currently, almost every household in the hamlet has built pig farms, each family only raises 1-3 pigs. People here consider livestock a big asset in the family, so they take good care of them.

Although people raising pigs mainly take advantage of available vegetables in the garden, mixed with rice bran... pigs grow slowly, but have delicious meat. In addition, households in Mon Son hamlet also actively raise buffaloes and cows, especially 3/4 of households raise goats. People here raise goats by building cages, they do not build large cages, but only a few square meters, enough to keep 2-4 goats. Every day, people go into the forest to cut natural tree branches and hang them up for the goats to eat every day. Goats have a good price and are easy to sell, so raising goats is the main source of income for many families.

Mr. Nguyen Hai Dong - Chairman of Phu Son Commune People's Committee, said: The provision of sows by the State for people to raise has partly met the desire to improve techniques, for people to apply in livestock farming and improve economic efficiency in livestock farming in general and sow farming in particular. During the breeding process, the commune assigned the committees to coordinate with the hamlet committees to regularly check the pig herd, so most households are aware of taking care of the pigs. These sows will contribute significantly to self-sufficiency, self-sufficiency of breeding pigs to open a new direction for livestock development in the area...

Article and photos: Nguyen Hoang