Escape poverty by raising Mong Cai pigs.

(Baonghean) - As part of the National Target Program for building new rural areas, which supports livestock development to increase income for ethnic minorities, many poor households in Chau Thuan commune (Quy Chau district) have successfully built a model of breeding Mong Cai pigs, creating additional income and gradually rising out of poverty.

Together with Mr. Van Van Minh, Head of the Agriculture Department of Chau Thuan commune, we visited the breeding model of Mong Cai sows at the home of Mr. Ha Van Anh (a Thai ethnic minority) in Chieng village. Welcoming us into his newly built, spacious house, Mr. Anh excitedly said: “This is the first time my family has raised Mong Cai sows for breeding, and we were surprised to find it so easy. They've already given birth to their third litter. Last May, we sold a litter of 24 piglets, weighing over 200 kg, at 120,000 VND/kg, earning 24 million VND. I used all of that money to invest in more pens and raise a few more breeding sows.”

Mr. Ha Van Anh is taking care of the piglets.

Through the National Target Program for Building New Rural Areas, at the beginning of 2013, Mr. Ha Van Anh's family received support in the form of two Mong Cai sows. After four months of raising them, the sows were bred. Since then, Mr. Ha Van Anh's two sows have regularly given birth twice a year, with each litter containing 25-30 piglets. In the first year, the family sold all the piglets to other households in the commune. In 2014, Mr. Ha Van Anh kept all the piglets he had given birth to. "Currently, I still have over 10 newborn piglets in my barn. According to current market prices, piglets sell for 120,000-130,000 VND/kg, so this herd of pigs has brought in quite a bit of money," Mr. Ha Van Anh said.

According to Mr. Ha Van Minh, in 2013, Chau Thuan commune received support from the district in the form of 25 Mong Cai breeding sows to be raised in 3 out of 10 villages (Bong 1, Nong, and Chieng villages) in the commune. These were standard breeding pigs that had been fully vaccinated against diseases such as hemorrhagic septicemia and foot-and-mouth disease by veterinary station staff. After more than a year of implementation, all the breeding pigs have grown and developed well, each giving birth to 2 to 3 litters, with 12 to 14 piglets per litter. The villagers have been very active in learning about breeding techniques, disease prevention, and timely treatment. From the initial 25 breeding pigs, the 3 villages have now developed their breeding herds to over 100 pigs. "After the pigs give birth, the villagers sell them to other villagers to raise. With these breeding sows, Chau Thuan commune has become self-sufficient in over 60% of the livestock breeding stock in the area, while also opening up opportunities to escape poverty and increase people's income."

Tran Ngoc Lan