Collaboration for A
griculture and Rural Development
(CARD)
Program
100
SOME TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS SUITABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT
OF SMALLHOLDER PIG PRODUCTION IN QUA
NG TRI AND THUA
THIEN
-
HUE
PROVINCES
Project title:
A blueprint for sustainable smallholder pig production in Central Vietnam
Code of the project
: CARD 004/05 VIE
Author(s):
Duyen T.T.B.
1
, Do N.T.
2
, Linh N.Q.
3
, Darren T.
4
et al
Project Implementing or
ganisations:
1
National Institute of Animal Husbandry (NIAH), Vietnam
2

he genetic improvement of the local MC breeds was done by introduction of
breeding Mong Cai pigs (boars and sows) from
the norther
n provinces
for pure breeding with local
pigs
. Results showed a significant increase in the number of piglets weaned per litter, ranging from
9.87 to 10.81 piglets between before and after the improvement, respectively.
-
Housing solutions
: The type of ho
use for sow considerably affects on the number of piglets weaned
per litter and weight gain per day. The number of piglets weaned per litter in the new house style is
11.2 piglets while 8.2 piglets were found in the old house type.
Average daily gain of
12
6.25 g was
recorded in the new house type whereas it is 107 g in the old house type.
-
The technical solution
: heating technique and training to eat early for piglet result in increasing
number of piglets weaned per litter (10.8 piglets compared to 9.80 pi
glets) and shorten the weaning
time of piglets from 45 days to 30
-
35 days of age as well as increase the number of litters per sow per
year from 2 to 2.35 litters.
-
E. coli vaccine for the control of Colibacillosis in suckling pigs
: recording data includ

lopes
and is always eroded by floods, and droughts
occur frequently. Pig production is mainly
based on smallholder farmers with little capital
and lack of husbandry knowledge.
Mong Cai pigs are raised mainly in the
smallholder farmers. 80
-
90% of the total
sow
population are kept for breeding resources
purpose. These breeding pigs, however, have
low reproductive performance. This is due to
many causes, one of which
is high level of
inbreeding.
Introgression of high performance
and healthy Mong Cai pigs into
the local MC
pigs to improve their genetic potential is
effective in the breeding program. In addition
,
the knowledge and skills in husbandry
technology, hygiene and disease prevention,
management and environmental protection
should be enhanced to suppo
rt the smallholder
farmers.
Application research of advanced technology
solution appropriate to local economic

2.1
Study populations
The study was carried out in two provinces of
Quang tri
and Thua Thien Hue. In Quang Tri
province, two communes of Hai Phu and Hai
Thuong, which belongs to Hai Lang district,
was selected. In Thua Thien Hue province,
Quang An and Quang Tho communes of Hai
Lang district was included. Pure Mong Cai
breeding sow
s (MC) kept in the smallholder
farmers of these four communes were used for
this study.
2.2
Research content
s
and methodology
2
.
2
.1
Improvement of performance of the
local MC pigs by pure breeding
program
o
Introgression the MC breeding sows /
males collec
ted from the Northern
provinces into the MC male / sow kept

groups (10 sows per group).
Experimental group was supplied a
nestbox (des
igned by Project
CARD)
to protect young piglets
from cold weather and the control
group
was not provided the
nestbox.
-
Temperature, humidity and heat
index (HI) of all pig houses were
daily measured in both groups by
using the measuring machine
"Pocket We
ather Tracker (Kestrel
4000)."
-
Duyen T.T.B., Darren T., Do N.T. & Linh N.Q.
102
2.2.3
Application research of the E. coli
vaccines in preventing the diarrhoea
disease in
pigs during 10 days of age
o
Identification the cause of diarrhoea:
faecal samples were obtained from
suckling piglets with diarrhoea.

stillbirths, mummies or (died before
parturition), deformities
e.g.
splay
legs, abortion, number of piglets with
diarrhoea (week 1, 2 3).
2.3.4
Evaluation of application efficiency in
the alignment of all solutions
o
Economic efficiency: Analysis of
finan
ce of each part and investment
efficiency, i.e., total cost / litter, total
income / litter and profits / litter.
Statistical analysis
: The data was analysed
based on statistical method in biology using
the Minitab program version 13.0.
3.
Results and di
scussions
3.1
Improvement of productivity of the
local MC pig by pure breeding
program
To assess
the effectiveness of this work, we
compared the performance of the MC pigs
before and after pure breeding program. The

n
X
SD
n
X
SD
Litter size (piglet)
128
11.10
a
1.77
193
11.43
a
2.47
The
number of piglets
bor
n alive/litter
128
10.73
a
1.60
193
11.09
a
2.50
Body weights at birth
(kg)
128

(kg)
128
57.67
12.76
193
53.74
14.71
Weaning time (day)
128
42.50
5.37
193
37.24
8.41
a,b: P <0.05; 0.01
CARD 004/05 VIE
–
Improvement of pig production in Central Vietnam
103
Fig
ures 1&2.
High performance Pure Mong Cai replacement gilts approaching target weight to be
artificially inseminated with
exotic boar semen
Litter size is important criteria in the breeding
sow production.
The number of piglets born
alive/litter
has increased from 10.73 before the
pure breeding program to 11.09 piglets after

that before the program (10.81 piglets
vs.
9.87
piglets). This finding is higher than the recent
reports of 9.54 and 9.61 piglets in the studies
of Sang et al. (2008) and
Tuyen et al (2008),
respectively.
Body weight at birth
is
directly influenced by
the number of piglets born alive. Variati
on of
this indicator before and after the program is
6.23 kg and 6.70 kg, respectively (P> 0, 05).
This result is higher than the report of
Thien et
al (1999) who reported that the body weight at
birth is 6.09 kg.
Weaning weight/litter of the two groups
before
and after the program is 57.67 kg and 53.74
kg, respectively. This difference is essentially
due to differences in weaning time (42.50 and
37.24 days, respectively) but not statistically
significant (P> 0.05). The weaning weight is
highly influence
d by the number of piglets
weaned and the weaning time. This result is in
agreement with results of Thien et al (1999)

104
Table 2
. Temperature, humidity and wind speed in the new and old house type
Factor
n
Old house type
New house type
X
± SD
X
± SD
Temperature (
0
C)
Temperature
30
22.19
a
± 4.51
25.62
b
± 2.72
Heating index (HI)
30
1
9.58
a
± 5.51
23.2
b

of micro
-
climates in the new house s
tyle while
using the box for piglet learn how to eat and
heat lamps for piglets.
Our results are lower
than the findings of some authors such as
Duyet (2006) and Duong (1999). The reason
could be due to the influence of blue ear
disease occurred in the are
as.
Table 3.
Productivity of sows raised in the new house type and the old house type
Criteria
n (litter)
New house type
New house type
X
± SD
X
± SD
The
number of piglets
born alive/litter
12
10.47 ± 1.53
11.12 ± 2.57
The
number of piglets weaned

in the two groups of sows which are kept in
two types of house (107 g/day in an old house
compared to 126.25 g /day in the new house
style).
Number of litter have infected the
Diarrhea disease between two types of houses
are different but there is no statistically
significant.
However, during experiment, it is very cold
and this hard weather is longer than the
previous years.
In the ne
w house, piglets were
kept in house with better climate temperature
and humidity.
3.2.2
Effect of nestbox on reproductive
performance of sows and growth of
piglets
Table 4.
Temperature, humidity and heat index of the control and experimental group
Indic
ator
Unit
Control
(n = 10)
Experiment
(n = 10)
P
μ ± SE

0
.01
Afternoon
%
89.0 ± 0.15
85.8 ± 0.29
0.01
Heat index (HI)
Morning
o
C
27.3 ± 0.18
28.8 ± 0.24
0.01
Noon
o
C
35.1 ± 1.37
34.1 ± 0.35
0.63
Afternoon
o
C
29.9 ± 0.23
32.6 ± 1.56
0.02
The results in Table 4 indicates that the
nestbox significa
ntly improves environment
for the newborn piglets (P<0.01). In the cold

piglet/ litter
10.5±0.48
11.6±0.40
0.87
2
Number of piglet weaned
piglet/ litter
9.80±0
.20
10.8±0.39
0.03
3
Body weight at birth/piglet
Kg
0.68±0.01
0.68±0.01
1.0
4
Weaning weight/piglet
Kg
7.07±0.09
8.30±0.07
0.01
8
Total weaning weight
Kg /litter
69.3±1.78
88.9±2.72
0.01
9

: The new house type designed by
the CARD project improves productivity of the
MC sows.
Their separation from the house of
the farmers contributes to reduce
environmental pollution.
Use of nestbox prevents heat stress for the
piglets after birth (dry clean, warm, low
humidity), health promotion and growth rate
for pigs nursing. In addition,
different
requirement on
temperature between farrowed
sows and piglets are solved.
3.3
A
pplication of E. coli vaccine for the
control of colibacillosis in suckling
pigs
Results of investigation on some of the most
common pathogens causing diarrhoea in
pig
lets in Quang Tri and Thua Thien
-
Hue
before vaccine trial are shown in Table 6.
It is
shown that: Rota and TGE viruses are among
the most common pathogens (78.16% and
65.52%); next by parasites (

13
14.94
E. coli
31
35.63
C. perfringens
11
12.64
Results on health status of piglets born from
vaccinated and non
-
vaccinated sows are shown
in Table 7.
Duyen T.T.B., Darren T., Do N.T. & Linh N.Q.
107
Table 7
.
Recorded criteria from vaccinated a
nd unvaccinated sows
Criteria
Vaccinated group
(n=159)
Control (Unvaccinated)
group
(n=14)
Piglets born alive
(piglets/sow)
11.31
10.51
Stillbirths

37.5
It is shown that there are significant
differences on the numbers of
piglets born
alive, stillbirth
s, mummies or (died before
parturition), deformities
e.g.
splay legs,
abortion
between the two groups (P<0.05).
Particularly, the prevalence of diarrhoea
piglets among the first 3 weeks of life was
lower in vaccinated group compared to control
group (P<0.0
5).
Results on examination of faecal samples from
diarrhoea piglets born from vaccinated and
unvaccinated (control) sows, once again show
very interesting findings (Table 8). TGEV, RV
and Cocci prevalence were not significantly
different between vaccinated
or non
-
vaccinated groups; C. perfringens was only
found in non
-
vaccinated group. None of the E.
coli isolates obtained from vaccinated group
possessed toxin genes, whilst the E. coli strains

a suis
10 (34.48)
3 (37.50)
Cryptospridium
3 (10.34)
1 (12.50)
E. coli
8 (27.59)
6 (75.00)
C. perfringens
0 (0)
3 (37.50)
3.4
Evaluation of applying technical
solutions
In 2009, cessation of the PRRS epidemic and
stable pig prices coincided with major
advancements in farmers’ k
nowledge and
skills base so that it was possible, through
accurate record keeping to determine the
number of pigs sold/sow/year. The majority of
farmers sold their weaners at 6
-
8 weeks of age
at 25,000
-
30,000 VND/kg.
A final survey of randomly selected c
ontrol

2.3
2
Economical efficiency
: (VND)
-
Input cost (VND/litter)
Feed
1,285,326
1,067,088
Veterinary
130,000
100,000
Mating
30,000
20,000
Water and electric
100,000
100,000
Sow depreciati
on
100,000
100,000
In put total
1,645,326
1,387,088
-
Output cost (VND/litter)
Price of piglets at 37
-
45 days of age (VND/kg)

ing to the
suckling time will be shorter and reduce
attrition rate of sow after weaning, return
heating rate of sow will be increased, more
stable income from selling pigs.
Estimated economic efficiency through
parameters such as total input/litter; Total
output/litter showed that. Applying technical
advances improved profit/sow/year in the
project farms (1,162,045 VND vs 372,663
VND in the control farms).
Overall, efficiency/invested capital in project
farms was higher than in control farm. In the
project
farms in order to obtain 1000 VND
profit needed to invest 2,7450 VND while
needed to invest 8,830VND in the control
farm.
The best demonstration farms in Quang Tri
and Thua Thien Hue achieved 20
-
22 pigs
sold/sow/year. The majority of piglets were of
CARD 004/05 VIE
–
Improvement of pig production in Central Vietnam
109
un
iform size with excellent growth rates.
Poorly fed sows with chronic mange do not

The application of comprehensive
technical solutions on breed, pig housing,
creepbox for piglet and vaccination E. coli
vaccine for the control of Colibacillosis in
suckling pigs i
n the MC pig production
leads to increase the productivity of the
MC sow especially the average number
piglet weaned/litter was 9.46 piglets in the
project farms vs 9.09 piglet in the control
farms. The suckling time was reduced
from 42 days to 37 days whi
le the
weaning weight/piglet was equivalent
(7.07 vs 7.05 kg/piglet, respectively).
Litter number/sow/year was also
improved (2.35 vs 2 litter/sow/year,
respectively).
o
Pig production under household condition
in Quang Tri and Thua Thien Hue with
the applic
ation comprehensive technical
solution was successful and brings high
economic efficiency for them (1,162,045
VND vs 372,663 VND at the farms out of
the project).
o
To replicate the model MC pigs with high
economic efficiency after the project

th
IPVS Congress,
Copenhagen, Denmark
,
July 16
-
19, 2006.
International Pig Veterinary Society
2006.
p. 318.
3.
Duyet H.N., 2006
. Reproductive
performance of Mong Cai breed in
Central Vietnam,
PhD thesis. Hue
Univer
sity, 2006.
4.
Duong N.K., 1999
. Comp
a
r
ing
the
reproductive performance between Mong
Cai local breed and Yorkshire in Central
Vietnam,
National conference’s
Proceedings in Animal Husbandry and

Development the MC pig in Dinh Hoa
–
Thais Nguyen. Animal Science Journal N.
16, Feb, 2009.
8.
Tuyen G.H.(2008
). Selection to Improve
number born alive/litter of the MC pig
group MC
3000
and average daily
gain and
lean meat percentage of the MC pig group
MC
15
. PhD
.