Growing grass to raise cows for high income

(Baonghean.vn) - By converting the structure of crops and livestock, Nghia Dan people have introduced many new varieties of plants and animals into production, in which the model of growing grass to raise cows has helped people increase their income and sustainably reduce poverty.

In early 2015, Mr. Le Manh Cuong's family in Tan village, Nghia Lac commune (Nghia Dan) boldly converted more than 1.5 hectares of sugarcane land to grass for cows and fruit trees. He planned to plant 5 sao of elephant grass to raise 7 cows, of which 4 are breeding cows; counting the income from cows alone, he has 40 - 50 million VND each year.

Mr. Cuong said that thanks to growing grass, he can take the initiative in raw materials. Cows that are fed well will grow quickly and have better meat quality than those raised naturally. Moreover, cultivated grass varieties have much higher nutritional content than natural grass.

In addition, growing grass also avoids unfortunate risks such as cows eating grass sprayed with pesticides. If this happens, the cows will have a stomachache and diarrhea for a few days, and the farmers will lose their capital.

The cow herd model of Mr. Le Manh Cuong's family in Tan village, Nghia Lac commune (Nghia Dan); each year brings in an income of 40 - 50 million VND. Photo: Minh Thai

After the policy of converting crops and livestock, Mr. Le Van Tuyen's family in Lac hamlet, Nghia Lac commune converted nearly 7 acres of ineffective land to grow grass and raise 8 fattened cows.

He said that at first, cows were fed with natural grass and corn. After learning that elephant grass and milkweed were good for cows, he immediately started growing them. At first, he only planted a few acres, then gradually expanded, and now he has planted over 7 acres of grass.

Mr. Tuyen added that elephant grass and milkweed grow strongly on many types of soil, with a growth period of 60 - 70 days for the first harvest. The suitable planting time is the rainy season, which reduces the need for much watering; planting once and harvesting lasts from 4 - 5 years.

Thanks to grass growing, we can proactively source animal feed, the feed is rich in nutrients so the animals grow well. Each time, Mr. Tuyen's family fattens 7-8 cows, after 5-6 months they can be sold; on average, they sell 2 times a year, after deducting expenses, the profit is about 60-70 million VND.

Grass is considered the main food source for cows; elephant grass and milkweed grow well on many types of soil, and take 60 - 70 days to harvest for the first time. Photo: Minh Thai

Nghia Lac is a remote commune under the 135 program with extremely difficult economic conditions. The income of the people here mainly comes from sugarcane, but the economic efficiency of this crop is low. Therefore, the commune encourages people to boldly switch from sugarcane to growing fruit trees with high economic value such as: oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, guavas.

In livestock farming, the commune encourages people to grow grass and raise cows; encourages households to fatten and breed cows to create jobs and increase income.

Mr. Le Trong Can - Vice Chairman of Nghia Lac Commune People's Committee said: "Recently, the commune has converted some areas of sugarcane and ineffective crops to grass to develop livestock with an area of ​​12 hectares. From the models of grass planting to raise cows with high economic efficiency, the commune has directed the association organizations to visit, learn and replicate in the area".

The best time to plant elephant grass is during the rainy season, when it doesn't require much watering; one plant can be harvested for 4-5 years. Photo: Minh Thai

Minh Thai