VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Dairy and Meat Goat ProductionDairy and Meat Goat Production

   

 

  

           

 

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Who we areWho we are

Goat and Rabbit Research Centre in Vietnam (VGRRC)

located in Ha Tay Province

founded in 1978

70 scientific and extension staff

64,9 ha

50 ha for trials fodder production, trial fields intercropping, forest and fish ponds

VGRRC demonstrates the advantages of integrated farming on site

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Ha Tay ProvinceHa Tay Province

in northern Vietnam

2.193 km²

14 Districts

Ba Vi National park 7000 ha

Population: 2.386.770

Kinh

Muong & Dao (ethnic Minorities)

Main sources of income:

Agriculture, Small Business, Tourism

Average per capita income per annum:

70 bis 120 US$

Ha Tay Province

Hanoi

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Ha Tay ProvinceHa Tay ProvinceSon Tay and Ba Vi districtSon Tay and Ba Vi district

Son Tay & Ba Vi

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

What we do: What we do:

Research Extension Training

Integrated Farming Systems

Improving small animal husbandry techniques

Breeding programme

Fodder production

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Results achieved so farResults achieved so far

are based on simple low-cost technologies and on training. The main beneficiaries are small-scale women farmers who not only carry out much of the work at farm level but who were and continue to be the processors and marketers of their high quality products.

Goat husbandry is responding rapidly to market demands and opportunities in the form of milk, milk products and meat. This approach enabled the provision of a high rate of return to farmers and has resulted in the successful and sustainable operation of the farms.

This approach also attracted significant attention from other donors.

Stressing the role of tree foliage as the preferred feed for goats acts as a stimulus to reforestation with multipurpose trees and shrubs, with obvious benefits to the environment.

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Commodity prices 2002 Commodity prices 2002

  Goat Rabbit Cattle Pig Chicken Sheep

Meat(VN Dong/kg live weight)

22.000 10.000 11.000 10.000 18.000 30.000

Milk(VN Dong/litre)

7.000 3.000

Rice(VN Dong/1kg)

1.600

Cassava leaves(VN Dong/1kg)

1.400

Over the years, prices for goat and rabbit meat as well as goat milk have risen steadily. Goat and rabbit production offer high rates of returns for farmers.

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Breeding programmeBreeding programme

Preserving the national gene pool:

Cross breeding: Bach Thao and

Bach Thao Goatindigenous to Vietnamhardy, proliferous

Saanen: MilkAlpine

Jamnapari Meat & MilkBarbari

Texas Boer MeatCo Goat

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Model farm: Goat PModel farm: Goat Productionroduction

Meat goats in semi confinement on a model farm

in Minh Quang village, Ba Vi district

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Goat keepingGoat keeping

Goats are kept in

semi-confinement:

Stable plus courtyard

no free grazing

is permitted, thus reducing the risk of parasitic infections and protecting the environment from damages through uncontrolled browsing

Ideally, a tree is providing shade for the animals, while they roam in the courtyard

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

CourtyardCourtyard

Feeding mangers and drinkers are placed within at the courtyard

The ground is regularly treated with lime to kill parasites

Mating takes place here, when the females are in heat

The drinkers are hard plastic containers, locally available, easy to refill and clean.

In this farm, the mangers are made from bamboo.

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

HousingHousing

Various materials and designs exist

Here the stables are constructed within an old house

The concrete made slope under the stable facilitates the collection of feces for further use within the farm

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

HousingHousing

Many farmers use bamboo, wood and rice straw to build the stables

Plastic sheets are used to cover the walls and protect animals from wind and rain during the winter and the rainy season

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

On-farm production of feedstuffOn-farm production of feedstuff

All FEEDSTUFF NEEDED FOR A BALANCED RATION IS PRODUCED ON THE FARM

Shrubs and trees:Leucaena, Giganthea, Fleminigia, Jackfruit, etc.

Grasses:mainly Pennisetum and Guinea grass

Crops:Sugar cane and cassava leaves

Pennisetum Purpureum

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Fighting ErosionFighting Erosion

Fodder plants such as Flemingia congesta syn. macrophylla and Pennisetum ssp. are planted on deforested slopes, field edges and along contour lines.

The cultivation of appropriate fodder plants (Leguminosae ssp. in symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria) improves the soil-quality, reducing the need for additional fertilizer.Fodder crops (Pennisetum purpureum) are planted

at fields edges and minimize erosion through run off

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Animal feedstuffAnimal feedstuff

This simple cutter for biomass at a price of 300.000 VN Dong makes life easier for the farmer

Cutting through young branches easily, it can cut through all on farm produced animal feedstuffs and reduces the workload of the farmer considerably

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Fodder conservationFodder conservation

Here cassava leaves have been cut and dry in the sun

They will be stored later and contribute to a balanced ration during the dry season

Simple low-cost technology reduces the work load of farmers

Biomass can dry evenly, thus, a higher quality is achieved; storage and feeding is made easier

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

ExtensionExtension

The extension team with a successful goat farmer inspecting goat kids

Regular extension visits are made

VGRRC provides assistance and advise

VGRRC assists farmers in marketing milk and meat

VGRRC offers a buck exchange programme

VGRRC has a veterinary laboratory, offering farmers diagnostic facilities

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

Training courses for subsistence farmers Training courses for subsistence farmers in their villagesin their villages

VGRRC offers training courses for subsistence farmers

at VGRRC

at their villages

lectures are given on all aspects of goat husbandry, including disease prevention through management and disease control strategies

Participants of a training course in Van Hoa, November 2002

VGRRC: Dairy and meat goat production by Susanne Hugo

You can find us in the WWW:You can find us in the WWW:

For example at:

http://www.fao.org/ag/aga/agap/lps/dairy/fdp/vietnam.htmhttp://www.kehlbach.de/

or contact by e-mail: binhbavi@netnam.vn

by Telephone: 0084 (0) 34 838 341

via Fax: 0084 (0) 34 838 889