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Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

Project Progress Report SIX-MONTHLY REPORT (Jan. to June 2008) 1
1. Institute Information
Project Name
Blueprint Pig Production Development in Small
Households In Central Region, Vietnam
(Sub-component implemented in Quang Tri provinces)
Vietnamese Institution
National Institute of Animal Husbandry
Vietnamese Project Team Leader
Dr. Ta Thi Bich Duyen
Australian Organisation
Dr. Darren Trott
Australian Personnel
Dr. Colin Cargill
Date commenced

Completion date (original)

Completion date (revised)



In Vietnam
Name:
Dr. Ta Thi Bich Duyen
Telephone:
84 4 22411195
Position:
Leader
Fax:
84 4 3 8389775
Organisation
National Institute of Animal
Husbandry
Email:
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1. Results obtained in 2007
1.1. Investigation and interview:
270 households were investigated and interviewed. After analysing the investigated data, 30
households in Hai Thuong and Hai Phu communes, Hai Lang district were selected to
participate in the project. Each selected household has about from 3 to 15 Mong Cai sows.
All selected households like to raise pigs, learn and share technical knowledge in pig
production.

1.2. Training:
Two training courses on raising Mong Cai (MC) sows were conducted in March and June,
2007 in pilot province with 30 selected farmers. Three trainers are researchers of National
Institute of Animal Husbandry. They provided trainees with background knowledge and skill

In January, 30 creep boxes were delivered to 30 selected farmer households to warm up
piglets. Creep boxes were provided for farmer households at the coldest time of the year, so
they have positive effects on piglets. After suckling, piglets lied on inside creep box;
therefore they were not affected by environmental temperature, leading to decrease diarrhea
and piglet abortion. Some farmers who have more than one piglet litter made creep boxes by
themselves followwing the creep box design of the project.

2.2. Consulting and supporting for shed design and build at farmer households.
For up to now, 30 households participating in the project (12 households in Hai Phu
commune and 18 households in Hai Thuong commune) were consulted and supported fund
to repair, upgrade or build new pig houses in order to meet certain requirements regarding the
lighting, the ventilation, the size of pig houses and environmental sanitation. Currently, 6
households have built new pig sheds by the shed design of the project officers (please see
attached file: Pig house design in QT). That is households follow as:
- Phan Dinh Trang, Thuong Xa village, Hai Thuong commune
- Phan Dinh Quy, Thuong Xa village, Hai Thuong commune
- Le Thi Hoa, Thuong Xa village, Hai Thuong commune
- Tran Luong Cuong, Thuong Xa village, Hai Thuong commune
- Dao Dan, Dai An Khe village, Hai Thuong commune
- Le Dinh Danh, Phu Hung village, Hai Phu commune
- Nguyen The, Phu Hung village, Hai Phu commune

2.3. Consulting and supporting for buying Mong Cai gilts
In March 2008, 50 Mong Cai gilts were selected at Mong Cai breeding Cooperative in Tang
Tien district, Bac Giang province. All Mong Cai gilts were vaccinated not only for the
popular diseases stipulated by the law of Animal Health in Vietnam, but also for the Foot
and Mouth disease (type O2), PRRS disease with 20 days saved in Bac Giang province. They
were then transferred to Quang Tri province and raised in 20 days before distributing to
selected households on 1
st

2.4. Consulting and supporting for the caring and nursing of Mong Cai pigs
NIAH researchers changed over to households to check the care and feeding management of
sows and advised to farmers about the caring and nursing, sheds, environmental improving,
etc. Moreover, they also consulted to farmers to formulate feeding ration in order to meet
nutritional requirements based on available local feed resources such as rice, maize, rice
bran, cassava meal, fish meal, sweet potato vines…
Selected households have signed a commitment to implement the caring and nursing of
Mong Cai sows in accordance with techniques that they have been training as well as
advisory opinions of the NIAH scientists. At the same time, farmers had to record and update
data daily on the notebook supplied by the NIAH researchers in order to manage and analyse
the data. The prior results show that the average weight gain of Mong Cai gilts was 10
kg/head/month and the first mating age that Mong Cai gilts got pregnant was 7 – 8 months
with 55 -60 kg average body weight/head.

2.5. Checking and monitoring the project implementation
Ms. Tarni went to Vietnam and worked for the purpose of completing websites to data (see
detailed reports of Tarni)
In June 2008, Australian expert on animal health and specialist on pig house design (Dr.
Tonny and Dr. Cholin), who worked as the foreign technical experts and officials operating
the project, and Vietnamese specialists organised the training course on pig shed in
accordance with farmer group. Each farmer group included 6 farmers concentrated in the
farmer household that was chosen to conduct the evaluation of current status of pig sheds,
hygiene and environment. Based on that the specialists touch farmers how to improve the
premises, breeding, feeding and disease prevention (see detailed reports of Tony and Cholin).
The training courses were very necessary and useful for farmers. Through the training
courses, along with foreign experts, farmers shared their experiences and learned a lot of

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knowledge about new technological advance in livestock production. At the same time they
received the dedicated guidance of experts how to raise pigs with better performance through

of exotic pigs (Landrace or Yorkshire) in the first pregnant to produce fattening pigs. From
the second litter, all 64 Mong Cai sows will be inseminated artificially by Mong Cai semen
to multiplicate Mong Cai breed.
Foot and Mouth disease and PRRS were occurred all over Hai Lang district including Phu
Hai and Hai Thuong communes where the projects have been implemented in 2007 and
2008. That is the reason why the project progress was slow. Moreover, number of Mong Cai
pigs was reduced in comparison with the original plan due to the price of Mong Cai gilts
increased after ending diseases, while the fund for pig purchases was approved from the

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beginning of the year. The PRRS caused the heaviest damage at the households in An Khe
village, Hai Thuong commune, with only remaining Mong Cai gilts of the project.
Total numbers of Mong Cai pigs that have been monitoring by the project are now 177
(including pig’s head of the projects and pig's head of households), in which:

No Pig type Quantity (head) Note
1 Lactating sows 16
2 Pregnant sows 90
3 Farrowing sows 19
4 Gilts 48
5 Mong Cai boars 4

3.2. Participating in the Animal Science Congress of the Asian – Australian Association of
Animal Production Societies (The 13th AAAP).
The 13th AAAP was organized at Hanoi from 22
nd
to 27
th
September, 2008. With fund
supporting by AUSAID, 11 Vietnamese researchers participating to CARD project took part

more products. In addition, the hygiene and safety of food can not be controlled.
With the goal of contributing to support farmers to transfer the economic structure in
agriculture and creating the Mong Cai breeding region in Hai Lang district - Quang Tri
province to meet the supply of Mong Cai breed with high quality for the farms in Hai Lang
area as well as other regions, we have proposed to establish the farmer interested club of
Mong Cai pig production.
3 farmer interested clubs of Mong Cai pig production was established in October 2008 at An
Khe, Thuong Xa and Phu Hung villages in accordance with the Decision of the Chairman of
the People's Committee of Hai Thuong and Phu Hai communes. Members of each group
consist of households participating in the CARD-004/05VIE project in those villages. When
the farmer interested clubs work effectively, they can admit other members. The leaders
representing the Party Committee, People's Committees, Women's Association, the Farmer’s
Association of Hai Thuong and Phu Hai communes and the NIAH researchers (Dr. Duyen,
Ms. Hoang and Mr. Sang) involved and controlled the ceremony of the establishment of
farmer interested clubs. During the ceremony of the establishment of farmer interested club,
members voted for 3 group leaders:
1. Mr. Le Dinh Danh, group leader of the Phu Hung farmer interested club of Mong Cai
pig production in Phu Hai commune.
2. Mr. Dao Van, group leader of the Dai An farmer interested club of Mong Cai pig
production, in Hai Thuong commune.
3. Mr. Phan Dinh Trang, group leader of the Thuong Xa farmer interested club of Mong
Cai pig production in Hai Thuong commune.
The leaders of these clubs are responsible for the connection between the club members and
project staffs to share experiences and learn new technological advances in pig production as
well as help each other to develop sustainable pig production.
To create initially operational expenditure for the farmer interested clubs, CARD-004/05VIE
project supported around AU$ 6500 for the activities:
+ Risk fund for 173 sows;
+ 3 bookshelves for 3 clubs (including books on pig raising techniques, daily agricultural
newspapers and information technology with a volume/2 weeks). These bookshelves have

- Artificial insemination for all Mong Cai sows of the project;
- Monitoring and evaluating the use of hugging compartments
- Guiding farmers to record and update data on the notebook provided by NIAH officers.
- Selecting and building demonstrated model for other household study.
- Monthly, if farmers do perform well the application of technological advances and
record and update data fully, they will be supported labor cost.

3.6. Checking and controlling the project implementation.
- To organize the meetings of the farmer interested clubs of Mong Cai pig production with
rich contents, exchanging information on pig production and consumption of products.
- To end the supporting to upgrade and build new pig sheds.
- To continue checking and evaluating the project implementation.

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4. Advantages and difficulties during the project implementation
4.1. Advantages
- The NIAH officers participating in the project have experiences in implementing projects,
transferring the technological advances to farmers and using farmer participatory training
approach.
- Quang Tri province has consumption market of pigs to Laos, so the development of Mong
Cai sows producing pig breeds is the necessary need of farmers.
Despite the farmers in Quang Tri province are poor, they prefer to learn new knowledge
about animal husbandry and have aspirations to develop pig raising effectively. Project fund
is a very big help for farmers implementing their aspirations.

4.2. Difficulties.
- Not all the households participating in the project are of the same academic level and pig
raising experience.
- Although the project has fund to support for pig shed improving and upgrading, it is very


TRAINING DOCUMENT ON MONG CAI PIG PRODUCTION
FOR SMALL HOLDERS 11

QUANG TRI, 2007

Part I. TECHNOLOGY OF MONG CAI PIG PRODUCTION
Lecturer: Dr. Ta Thi Bich Duyen
Secsion 1: Characteristics, breeding and selection methods of Mong Cai pig
Secsion 2: Feeds, Technologies on processing and storage of feed.
Secsion 3: Technology for rearing Mong Cai gilt
Secsion 4: Technology for rearing Mong Cai boars
Secsion 5: Determining heated sows and mating
Secsion 6: Technology for rearing progenant sows
Secsion 7: Technology for rearing farrowed sows and piglets.

Households In Central Region, Vietnam
(Sub-component implemented in Thừa Thiên Huế and
Quang Nam provinces)

Vietnamese Institution
Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry
Vietnamese Project Team Leader
Dr. Nguyen Quang Linh
Australian Organisation
Dr. Darren Trott
Australian Personnel
Dr. Colin Cargill, Dr. Tony Pahy
Date commenced

Completion date (original)

Completion date (revised)

Reporting period
Jan. to June 2008
Contact Officer(s)
In Australia: Team Leader
Name:
Dr. Darren Trott
Telephone:

Position:

Fax:


Organisation
Hue University of Agriculture and
Forestry
Email:


1. INTRODUCTION

Project named Blueprint Pig Production Development in small households in the Central
Region is one of projects that belong to the Collaborative Program between MARD, Vietnam
and Australian Government (CARD). Project fund is to do research related to pig production
in Central Region, Vietnam in the duration of 2006 – 2009. Project consists of 3 sub-
components; each sub-component is implemented by one local partner. They are:-
- Sub-component implemented in Binh Dinh province by National Institute of Veterinary
Research.
- Sub-component implemented in Quang Tri province by National Institute of Animal
Husbandry; and
- Sub-component implemented in Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam provinces by Hue
University of Agriculture and Forestry (HUAF).

According to sub-component in Thua Thien Hue, in the scond year of 2007, the
HUAF research team that consists of 6 members and finished works on survey analysis and
making more activities in health care, reproductive arrangement for Mong Cai breed and
exotic breed. There are 27 pig farm households that are still active for project targets

2. IMPLEMENTATION RESULTS OF INITIATED ACTION PLAN OF FISRT SIX
MONTHS, 2008

2.1. Training course and results
The training course on farms was conducted by Vietnamese and Australian teams, aiming in

certificates that conducted to farmers and local veterinariants in Quang Tri and Thua Thien
Hue. Particularly, local Vets can understand the role of E.coli vaccines for sows in pregnant
periods, it will be earlier injection for sow during pregnancy periods of 70 – 80 days. Feeding
schedules and regimes for sows and piglets also conducted on farms for farmers as
demonstration pig farms can implement the activities on farms.

The training in Quang Tho commune The farmers were receiving the certificate

2.2. Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) outbreak and
interventions in locations

On 14/5/2008 The PRRS was outbroken in Thua Thien Hue province. Huong Chu, Quang
Tho were two communes had happened PRRS. Total number of pigs were destroyed by
PRRS were: 19 sows. To recover pigs production, the goverment decided to support 25.000
VND/kg. To destroy the pigs who had PRRS, firstly the farmers whose pigs had PRRS had to
announce to the local Vets. Then the Vets would come to confirmed again and listed of those
pigs. After that the people who were responsible for destroying PRRS pigs would come to
do. They disinfested first then used the electric to kill the pigs, then brought them on to the
car to the place where far from the village and destroyed. These are some pictures of progress
of destryoing PRRS pigs at Huong Chu commune:

The disinfestion was use during Tranfering pigs on to car for moving to
the PRRS period destroy

4The place for destroying PRRS pigs

In early year 2008, stated that 45/125 sows were pregnant status and expect for more litters

in the past time, the farmers used the electric light only without creep-box or any equipments
to keep the temperature. Because that the temperature was lost out easily and might be make
the sows felt hotter than they wanted. This was the reason explained why even they used
higher power electrics light but their piglets still had diarrhoea, especial white diarrhoea.
Using creep-box can solve that problem, the temperature can be kept inside the creep-box
and provide the good environment for piglets. Given can help the piglets have higher growth
perfomance than past time. 5

The piglets with the creep-box The piglets without creep-box
and electric light

2.4. Heating control and mating service
Our records show that 80% of the MC sows had farrowed 2
nd
litter and 20 % having 3
rd

pregnant during the current reporting period. The sows were all given AI (by veterinarian or
farmer). Of those sows that fell pregnant, the farrowing to heat interval was 5-8 days.

The ten exotic sows in Thuy Phuong:
+ Five sows belonged to Ms Vo Thi Ha were taken out. Among them, 3 were still gilts and
had no result after mating many times; 2 sows had farrowed 1
st
litter (total number of piglets
were 18) but during the lactating time the sows had some problems so that the farmer decided
to sell. About 18 piglets of the 2 sows: 12 were died and 6 piglets left still is being raised in

Thuy Duong 15 185
Include the piglets of the 4 sows were
romoved out after finishing the 1
st
litter.
Binh Dien 11 113
Include the piglets of the 1 sows were
removed out after finishing the 1
st
litter.

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Thuy Phuong 15 161
10 piglets were died at Ms Ha's farm

Huong Chu 14 254
Include the piglets of the 15 sows were died
by PRRS.

2.6. E.coli vaccination programed for sows

Farm vaccination schedule E.coli
Hog
cholera Erysipelas Pasteurella Salmonella

Gilts
on arrival

x repeat three weeks
later x

every 6 months

x
x Progeny

4 days of age

Weaning
x
9 weeks of age
x x x
12 weeks of age
x x

A very common disease affecting piglets in this area is ‘White Diarrhoea’ (WD), which has

system, the blinds were taken out in hot days.
- Heat control: The high temperature in summer was the problem that the farmers were
facing. In summer, the temperature may be 38 – 40
0
C. Normally, to cool the pigs the farmers
used shower only, but from the time joining the project they were paticipated many training
programes on pigs production. We encouraged them to use roof-cool, opening blind, electric
fan combine with mister to cool for their pigs. For the roof-cool show that is very effective.
When the outside temperature is 37
0
C: with the housings without any cool equipments the
roof temperature is 54-60
0
C and the housing temperature is over than 40
0
C while the
temperature of roof and inside the roof-cool housing are: 32 and 31
0
C. Please the below
picture: Roof-cool in summer

- The farmers’s knowledge have improved: after paticipating CARD project the farmers were
joined many training programes on pigs production. These training concentrated to train
them on sow and piglet production. After joining the training, the farmers have known how
to raise a good sow, good piglet. For instance, how to control the sow’s fat while pregnancy
time, lactating time, how to give score to the sows, how to keep warm for piglets Before
joining the project, they did not have any idea about sow score and they did not know which