Raising chickens with biosecurity for high income

(Baonghean) - After 2 years of implementation, the biosafety chicken farming program in Vinh City has created conditions for hundreds of farming households to escape poverty.

In April 2010, Vinh City Farmers' Association launched a biosafety chicken raising program in 9 suburban communes, with 179 households participating. Vinh City People's Committee supported 16,280 chickens, more than 80 tons of feed (nearly 1 billion VND) under a 50% support mechanism, an average of 7 million VND per household. At the end of the first year, 116/179 farming households increased their income, basically escaping poverty. In 2011, the number of participating households increased to 237, expanding the area to 10 wards and communes. Vinh City People's Committee continued to support people under a 30% mechanism with a budget of nearly 900 million VND.

Many farmers escape poverty thanks to raising chickens in the ATSH direction.

Mr. Nguyen Van Duyet - Chairman of Nghi Kim Commune Farmers' Association said: 21 households participating in the program have now been removed from the list of poor households. For example, Ms. Nguyen Thi Van (Hamlet 1), has 2 small children, her husband passed away, in 2010 she adopted 123 chickens from the program, the chickens grew very quickly and were not affected by any diseases. After more than 3 months, the income was nearly 20 million VND.

Mr. Phan Huy Hung - Chairman of Vinh City Farmers' Association said: The technique of raising ATSH chickens is not difficult, chickens are raised at a density of 5 chickens/m2, in a closed cage, with a fence to prevent other animals from entering. Periodically every 10 - 15 days, spray disinfectant and sterilize the barn, especially before raising chickens, when transferring flocks and when there is an epidemic, collect litter and compost or burn it to destroy pathogens. Chickens from 5 - 60 days old must be vaccinated with 7 doses/chicken. Vitamins need to be added to the feed to increase resistance and prevent diseases for chickens when the weather changes. After 3 months, the weight reaches 2 - 2.2 kg/chicken. With the current market price of 80 - 85,000 VND/kg, raising 100 chickens is estimated to earn 15 - 20 million VND, with a profit of 10 - 12 million VND.

Officials guide farmers how to take care of chickens.

The ATSH chicken raising program has provided farmers with a new way to ensure food hygiene and safety and achieve high economic efficiency, especially in the current complicated period of poultry disease. This is a program that is both humane and highly economic. Therefore, there needs to be mechanisms and policies to expand and develop in the future.

Pham Bang