(HBO) - In recent years, many households in the province have invested in raising free-range local chickens (indigenous Ri chicken) in gardens and hills. With delicious quality, this is a type of poultry that enjoys high market price and good economic efficiency with stable output.
With favourable conditions for breeding and stable output, free-range local chicken farming is being multiplied in many communes in Lac Son district.
Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, in recent years, chicken breeding in the province has faced many difficulties. The pandemic, which caused a disruption in the supply chains, along with the high price of animal feed forced many households to switch to other jobs.
Huong Nhuong commune in Lac Son district is an example. Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, raising chickens brought about stable income for many households. However, few of them engage in the business at present
The family of Quach Thi Hoa, who lives at Bung Coi hamlet, is one of the households that have been breeding chickens for many years.
According to Hoa, farmers are now facing difficulties as animal feed prices are still very high. For raising hybrid chickens, the possibility of running losses is high if they do not know how to take care of them. However, she said that it still bring out a profit.
Recently, her family sold 1,500 chickens at a price of 130,000 VND (5.5 USD) per kg, earning a profit of 30,000 VND per head, Hoa said, adding that she is breeding 800 chickens.
In Quyet Thang commune (Lac Son district), raising free-range chickens in gardens and hills has been maintained by many people, bringing high economic efficiency. Currently, the model of raising chickens on the hill has been multiplied in all hamlets in the commune. Bui Van Hoa's family is an example. After many years of struggling with pig farming, his family has switched to raising chickens. Now they earn over 200 million VND a year thanks to breeding chickens on one ha of acacia cultivation.
"As the price of animal feed is high at the moment, we will run a loss if breeding hybrid chicken,” Hoa said.
For local chicken, farmers will feed them with commercial animal food in about two months and then switch to corn and unhusked rice, thus, their meat is delicious. The chicken price is quite stable, ranging from 110,000-130,000 VND per kg. It may be up to 160,000-170,000 VND sometimes, so breeders will gain a profit.
Raising free-range local chicken is becoming popular not only in Lac Son district, but also in many localities in the province, including some communes of Tan Lac district.
According to the Sub-Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine, currently, the total poultry herd in the province is more than 8.8 million. The price of free-range local chickens ranges from 110 to 120,000 VND per kg on average. The price of Lac Thuy chicken is about 80,000-90,000 VND per kg while that of battery chicken is about 35,000-40,000 VND per kg. With the advantage of vast areas of hills and gardens as well as a big consumption market, breeding chickens is a promising industry./.
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