Growing grass to raise cows for high income

September 13, 2017 09:13

(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.

Mô hình đàn bò nhốt của gia đình anh Lê Mạnh Cường ở làng Tân, xã Nghĩa Lạc (Nghĩa Đàn); mỗi năm cho thu nhập từ 40 - 50 triệu đồng. Ảnh: Minh Thái
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.

Cỏ được xem là nguồn thức ăn chính cho bò; cỏ voi và cỏ sữa sinh trưởng mạnh trên nhiều loại đất, thời gian trồng ưtf 60 - 70 ngày cho thu hoạch lần đầu. Ảnh: Minh Thái
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".

Cỏ voi thời gian trồng thích hợp là mùa mưa, đỡ phải tưới nước nhiều; trồng một lần thu hoạch kéo dài từ 4 - 5 năm. Ảnh: Minh Thái
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

How to grow grass:

Elephant grass is a type of grass that reproduces asexually, so it is mostly grown from stems. When choosing the variety, it is best to choose the type that is not too young and not too old. Then, cut the grass into cuttings of 20-25 cm in length, each cutting has about 3-5 buds.

One thing to note is that the grass should not be planted immediately after cutting, but it is best to leave the grass in the shade for a few days before planting. However, if the grass is left too long after cutting, it will be difficult for it to germinate. In addition, because elephant grass for cattle is mainly planted by cuttings, when planting, you should leave a planting distance of 30 x 40 m and do it in rows for convenience in later care.

How to fertilize:

How to fertilize elephant grass for cattle also needs to be noted. Depending on the type of soil in each region, you choose the most suitable fertilizer.

Normally, for 1 hectare of grass, you need to apply about 15-20 tons of manure, 250-300 kg of superphosphate, 100-200 kg of KCl, 400-500 kg of urea in a period of 1 year. Among these fertilizers, you should use manure and superphosphate as basal fertilizer. KCl and urea are used as top dressing.

Minh Thai

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Growing grass to raise cows for high income
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