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Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

CARD Project Progress Report 004/05VIE

A blueprint for sustainable smallholder pig
production in Central Vietnam
Milestone 7
: 3
rd
SIX-MONTHLY REPORT
(July 2007 – January 2008)

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Table of contents
TITLE PAGE 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2
1. INSTITUTE INFORMATION 3
2. PROJECT ABSTRACT 4
3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4
4. INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND 5
5. PROGRESS TO DATE 6
5.1 IMPLEMENTATION HIGHLIGHTS 6

Leaders
Dr Ta Thi Bich Duyen (NIAH); Professor Nguyen Quang Linh
(HUAF); Dr Cu Huu Phu (NIVR)
Australian Organisation
The University of Queensland/Victorian Department of Primary
Industry/South Australian Research and Development Institute
Australian Personnel Dr Darren Trott, Dr Ian Wilkie, Dr Colin Cargill, Dr Tony Fahy
Date commenced
April 1st 2006
Completion date (original)
April 2009
Completion date (revised) September 2009
Reporting period
N
ovember 2006 – June 2007
Contact Officer(s)
In Australia: Team Leader
Name:
Dr Darren Trott
Telephone:
617 336 52985
Position:
Senior Lecturer School o
f
Veterinary Science
Fax:
617 336 51355
Organisation
School of Veterinary Science The
University of Qld


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2. Project Abstract
Small holder farmers in Central Vietnam predominantly raise pig breeds such as Mong Cai, Mini
pig, and SocHighland, which are well adapted to local conditions but have limited performance and
economic efficiency. Improving the genetics of local breeds by introduction of high performance
Mong Cai lines for pure breeding and exotic breeding programmes will result in significant benefits
for small holder farmers if it can be aligned with an integrated farrow-to-finish management plan
(focusing on health, husbandry, housing and nutrition) to improve production parameters and limit
health problems. This holistic, continuous improvement plan (CIP) will be initiated by
appropriately trained Vietnamese veterinary and animal scientists, under the direction of Australian
experts. Through a train the trainers approach, the CIP will be extended to veterinary extension
workers, commercial piggery managers and selected small scale pig farmers for successful uptake
of knowledge and skills
3. Executive Summary
This project began with six major objectives: 1. Train the trainers; 2. Select the farms; 3. Adopt best
practice; 4. Introduce new breeding stock; 5. Monitor profitability; and 6. Sustain profitability.

During the third six months of the project, progress has been made towards Objectives 3, 4 and 5.
In Thua Thien Hue province, the pure Mong Cai breeding stock has farrowed and the first piglets
have been weaned and sold. The average litter size was 7.6 pigs/gilt/sow and the average number of
piglets weaned was 6.4. The current price of piglets at the time of sale was 47.000/kg, the average
weight of piglets sold was 7 kg so the total benefit (minus input costs) was approximately
91.932.000 VND. Some pigs recorded as stillborn may have been early neonatal death and it will
be interesting to now examine records from the next farrowing to determine if there are increases in
litter size and number of piglets weaned. Most piggery upgrades have occurred and new nestboxes,
based on a design produced by trainee Vietnamese scientists, have been provided. Problems with

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4. Introduction & Background
In response to the increased demand for pork, Vietnamese small holder farmers in the Central
provinces have intensified their production system, while others have attempted to continue to
produce pigs in older, poorly designed facilities. As intensification has increased, so too have
disease problems, particularly in the pre-weaning stage, so it is not surprising that enteric diseases
cause very substantial losses in this age group. While the diseases involved can usually be
controlled by a combination of good management and strategic vaccination, the sub-optimal
environment provided on many farms is also a major risk factor, especially in the farrowing and
weaning areas. Antibiotics, which add significantly to the cost of production, are used to overcome
these deficiencies and their indiscriminate use is probably contributing to the current high level of
multi-drug resistance in isolates from pigs in Vietnam. Expansion of small holder pig production in
Central Vietnam has the potential to improve the income generating capacity of poor families, but
is currently hampered by low profitability due to a combination of poor reproductive performance
and growth rates, lack of husbandry and management skills, poor nutrition and disease problems.
Based on the experience drawn from our existing CARD project (001/04VIE), the problems faced
by small holder pork producers in Vietnam include:

• Lack of on-farm recording to allow effective herd management on a day-to-day basis.
• Lack of written records on average daily gain, feed conversion efficiency and pigs marketed
/sow/year to determine whole-herd productivity and profitability.
• Failure to set and reach reproduction targets.
• Poor ventilation and cooling systems which limit the feed intake of progeny and breeders.
• Restrict feeding of all classes of stock from lactating sows through to finisher pigs.
• Lack of written data to assist resolving herd health problems-particularly mortalities, age
and cause of death.
• Incorrect vaccination strategies for those diseases for which there are effective vaccines.
• Lack of specialist veterinary and extension staff to instruct and advise farmers.
• Lack of model demonstration farms in each province to train the trainers.


breeds) and a growth rate of 350-400g per day (compared to only 200-250g for the other breeds).
These results clearly show the robustness of the Mong Cai breed. Introduction of high quality, high
performance Mong Cai sows will provide the nucleus for a central coast pure Mong Cai breeding
zone collective. Pure Mong Cai gilts will be raised for downstream sale to other small holders for a
crossbreeding program using exotic breeds of boar. Hybrid vigour in F1 progeny will provide better
growth rates than the currently used indigenous breeds, but will be more adaptable to local
environmental conditions compared to exotic breeds of pig. This program will also maintain the
pure Mong Cai gene pool in the central coastal area.

5. Progress to Date
5.1 Implementation Highlights
1) Refinements to on-line database
The website can be found at the following URL:
A login name
(AUSAIDCARD) and password (pigproject) have been created for members of the CARD
programme management committee to access and view the database (without the ability to modify
records) at any time as it is being built or during the life of the project. The website has been
substantially improved by the combined efforts of Ms Tarni Cooper (UQ) and Mr Warren Ham
(UQ), together with the assistance of Dr Do Ngoc Thuy (NIVR), Mr Ho Ngoc Phuong (HUAF) and
Mr Hoang Bien (NIVR) (translation and input on improving the design of the questions to obtain
more thorough information). This includes:
a) Refinement of questions to obtain more accurate data on pigs produced, vaccination schedules
etc.
b) Creation of a shortened version of the survey form to be used as a brief audit system that can be
completed on a regular basis during the lifetime of the project.
3) Major training mission to Vietnam and farm audits by Australian team members
(November 2007-February 2008).

a) Major training mission November 2007 by Dr Colin Cargill, Dr Tony Fahy and Mr Patrick
Daniel (see Appendix 1: Colin Cargill November trip report):

ii) Creep boxes. Perhaps not being utilised to their best capability but certainly working.
iii) Feeding gilts/sows and dry sow stalls. Most farms had dry stalls but were still feeding a
restricted diet and water was not available on a continuous basis.
iv) Records. Whilst some records are being kept it was still difficult to calculate the number
of pigs per sow per year and further improvements are required.
v) Little knowledge of appropriate medication/vaccination schedules. An approved
medication/vaccination schedule for common problems is provided in the MS 5 report
(2
nd
six monthly report). The point was made by Dr Fahy that although vaccines are
available, most farmers, as well as the extension veterinarians, were not aware of either
what the vaccines were for or how to use them. Similarly; they had little knowledge of
which medicine was appropriate for specific clinical signs and how to use them.

The major conclusion from the attempted training mission was that it is far too premature to be
instructing extension workers/etc in the types of skills required and that more investment needs to
be made in ensuring that the demonstration farms continue to be profitable and that this is well-
documented. For this reason, a shortened version of the questionnaire is required so an accurate
farm audit can be made at each visit.

b) Farm audit/survey questionnaire development December 2007/January 2008. The introduction of
Ms Tarni Cooper to the project team has resulted in significant developments. Ms Tarni (who had
just completed her second year of a veterinary science degree at The University of Queensland) was
given the opportunity to stay in Vietnam and working with Vietnamese colleagues for a total of
eight weeks on the project (December 2007 to end of January 2008). Ms Tarni has a strong interest
in full time development work when she graduates as a veterinarian at the end of 2010 and the
opportunity to live and work in Vietnam on a subsistence basis provided her with the necessary
experience to attain this goal. Through her work with Vietnamese trainee scientists (Mr Phuong
from HUAF and Mr Bien from NIAH) and careful attention to detail, we were thus able to break the
perpetual cycle of brief farm visits by Australian experts, pointing out the same problems that were

not suffer any pre-weaning mortality. This was the single biggest impetus for other farmers to make
and introduce their own nestboxes. The audit performed by Ms Tarni on each of the demonstration
smallholder units in each province will form the basis for future benchmarking/auditing
assessments. These can be viewed at any time on-line by the project management team.
4) Introduction of major milestone reports for each participating Vietnamese institute. In
order to keep progress in line with cash flow, the requirement for milestone reports from the
Vietnamese stakeholders was introduced (See Appendix 3: Performance criteria for payment). A
milestone report from Prof Linh (HUAF) for the period is attached (see Appendix 4: HUAF report
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six months). Highlights during this time include a training course delivered to the 30 selected
farmers in Thua Thien Hue, including two days of theory (taught by Prof. Linh, Dr. Duyet, and Dr.
Toan) covering pig housing and nutrition, pig breeding and nutrition and disease control and
prevention (prior to the November project visit). Three Mong Cai sow deaths were reported during
the period (down from 15 in the previous period), one death may have been infectious due to
haemorrhagic septicaemia, the other two were due to unknown causes. Creep boxes based on a
prototype developed in consultation were introduced to selected farms (one free creep box each).
Whilst expensive to make, the creep boxes were a tremendous success, especially over the cool
winter months. Sharp declines in ambient temperature and resultant stress and chilling of piglets
that were not provided with creep boxes, provided dramatic evidence of their effectiveness and
were quickly taken up by the other farmers. Detailed reports on reproductive performance of the
Mong Cai gilts are also provided. Overall, if the results are accurate, they are very encouraging at
this stage of the project, with 83 litters born (out of a possible 99), 634 piglets in total (549 liveborn
though the stillbirths may also include early neonatal mortality) and 533 weaned. The current price
of piglets is 47.000/kg, the average weight of piglet sold was 7 kg so the total benefit (minus input
costs) is about 91.932.000 VND. This is an average per gilt/sow of 7.6 total piglets born, 6.6
liveborn (ie one piglet either stillborn or I suspect from the notes provided, may be mortality at <24
hours) and 6.4 weaned. It is crucial that this data be combined with fertility data (ie interval
between litters) to obtain an idea of the number of pigs born per sow per year. With better (ie ad lib)
dry sow feeding and greater emphasis on pig and sow microclimates, these figures may improve

Dr Duyen only took over the project from Dr Coi in July 2007 and was immediately faced with the
problem of outbreaks of Foot and Mouth Disease and “Blue Ear Disease” (post likely to be Porcine
Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome with possible secondary bacterial pneumonia with
Streptococcus suis or other members of the Porcine Respiratory Disease Complex) in Quang Tri
province during 2007, which delayed the introduction of pure Mong Cai breeding stock into the
selected farms. Nevertheless, updates on progress were received during the reporting period as
follows:
1) Survey:
In November 2006, a survey on farms had been carried out with more than 250 house holders in Hai
Phu and Hai Thuong commune - Hai Lang district, Vinh Trung and Vinh Chap commune - Vinh
Linh districts, Quang Tri province .
The second survey had been carried out in March of 2007 with 50 house holds in Hai Phu and Hai
Thuogn commune – Hai Lang district, Quang Tri province.
After 2 surveys, 30 house holds had been chosen to participate our project.
Please see attached file (Appendix 4: Farm-data-sheets).
2) Training:
To give the farmers new technology knowledge for rearing Mong Cai pigs, before bringing Mong
Cai gilts in to Quang tri, a training course on technologies for rearing Mong Cai pigs had been
organized in Quang Tri province from 2 to 10 of June, 2007.
Summary of contents was as follows:

TECHNOLOGY OF MONG CAI PIG PRODUCTION
Section 1: Characteristics, breeding and selection methods of Mong Cai pig
Section 2: Feeds, Technologies on processing and storage of feed.
Section 3: Technology for rearing Mong Cai gilt
Section 4: Technology for rearing Mong Cai boars
Section 5: Determining heated sows and mating
Section 6: Technology for rearing progenant sows
Section 7: Technology for rearing farrowed sows and piglets.
Section 8: Technology for rearing farrowed sows and suckling.

• Further training on the care and management of Mong Cai from each institute, on farm
advice, assistance and investigation of problems and during the farm visits.
• Development of a on-line short audit form of the questionnaire to provide a means of
verifying the success of the continuous improvement model on demonstration piggeries.
• Provision of free, locally produced E. coli vaccines for prevention of neonatal colibacillosis.

5.4 Capacity Building
The project has provided dataloggers, laser thermometers and post mortem kits to assist with
obtaining data/investigating causes of illness and mortality. It does not appear that dataloggers are
being left at any of the demonstration piggeries to obtain environmental recordings, due to fears that
they may not be returned?

5.5 Publicity

An article was submitted for the CARD newsletter (written by A/Prof Darren Trott and Ms Tarni
Cooper-Appendix 5).

5.6 Project Management
No change in project team, apart from the addition of Ms Tarni Cooper to the Australian team.
6. Report on Cross-Cutting Issues
6.1 Environment: No additions
6.2 Gender and Social Issues: No additions
7. Implementation & Sustainability Issues
7.1 Issues, Constraints and Options
Issue 1: Slow (but sustained) progress in line with milestones set by CARD

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Constraints: Whilst definite progress has been made, the project is not yet ready to be able to
provide intensive, ongoing training to district veterinarians/paraveterinarians on best practices,
because the farmers do not have evidence yet that the new systems work. A dramatic demonstration

Options: 1) Reduce the number of trips per year but increase the duration of activity.
2) Plan the majority of activity around the end of the year (November to February
depending on the start of Tet), when Australian scientists can devote large blocks of time to gain a
deeper understanding of constraints and issues relating to project progress at the local level.

7.2 Sustainability
No new issues identified.
8. Next Critical Steps
1) Translation of the on-line survey questionnaire (short and long forms) into Vietnamese.
2) Monitor progress mid-year and at the end of 2008 to obtain production data and determine the
major improvements that have been made (which can be the basis for farmer to farmer training).
9. Conclusion
Whilst progress has no doubt been made, a reassessment of project training initiatives needs to be
made. Australian scientists have reduced the frequency of visits to twice per year, but increased the
duration. The availability of Ms Tarni Cooper for large blocks of time at the end of each academic
year for the remainder of the project logframe is an excellent long-term investment. The focus of
the next year will be on making sure the key project interventions are operating satisfactorily on

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each farm and that groups of farmers are suitably encouraged by their productivity results to form
the breeding co-operative. Outbreaks of major disease are a constant and unknown threat to project
objectives being met, however they do result in excellent pig prices and farmers with knowledge
and skills will have a greater advantage in these situations.