Sheep herders hear bells of growth

The province has a hot climate almost throughout the year, with a short wet season between September and November. The heat, however, is not totally a curse, considering that it has helped the sheep raising and processing industry to become a strength of the provincial economy.

In the last three years, live hog price of sheep meat has remained stable at over VND100,000 per kilogramme. COVID-19 pandemic caused the price of sheep meat to reduce under VND100,000 per kg at the first half of the year.

However, the price has risen since July. Presently, the live hog price of sheep meat is about VND110,000 to 120,000 per kg.

Many households in the prolonged hot weather have earned living from raising sheep, according to Phan Tran Dinh Thong in Phuoc Dan Commune, Ninh Phuoc District. His family has raised sheep in 15 years.

“Sheep is a good commercial production,” said Thong. “In ten recent years, my family has raised a herd of 200-300 sheep per year. They are bred outdoors and allowed to feed on pasturelands. I can earn a profit of about VND200 million.”

Ninh Thuan sheep is a gentle animal and can suffer from hard living condition, thus it is very easy for growing, according to Thong.

“Ninh Thuan sheep can live well on arid fields with poor food.”

In Phuoc Nhon Village, Xuan Hai Commune, Ninh Hai District, farmer Dao Thanh Thich has a herd of 200 sheep. In recent years, he also earns a profit of nearly VND200 million.   

In 1999-2000, his family was given soft loaned to buy 20 sheep with VND2 million per sheep. After two years, the herd increases to 70 sheep.

Recently, raising sheep is better than cow and goat, according to Thich.

Ninh Thuan province, the country’s largest animal producer, is strengthening measures to breed more sheep, goats, pigs and other animals for commercial production.

The province's agricultural sector has focused on technology investment, grassland and importing new breeds to improve the local sheep herd.

The province has more than 140,000 sheep in 2018 which account for nearly 95 per cent of the domestic sheep, according to the Animal Health and Husbandry Sub-Department. The provincial sheep meat production was more than 1,900 tonnes.

Last year, the heard of sheep was nearly 90 per cent compared to 2018, of which sheep meat production was over 2,000 tonnes increasing by 8.56 per cent at same period 2018.

In the fourth quarter of this year, the province has about 135,000 sheep increasing by 94 per cent and the sheep meat production is approximately 1,700 tonnes.

According to the Animal Health and Husbandry Sub-Department, farmers in the province mostly breed horny cattle outdoors with natural grassland; stove straw, forage and agricultural by-products.

However, flood and drought have caused sheep dying and malnutrition. The provincial households have planted grass and stored agricultural by-products to feed the sheep.

To improve quality of sheep, the provincial relevant bodies have helped farmers to crossbreed 15 Dorper and 15 White Suffolk sheep varieties originated from Australia.

The hybrid sheep between Ninh Thuan indigenous and Australian sheep make up 85 – 90 per cent of the total heard.

Besides, in order to limit dependence on natural grassland, the agricultural sector also instructs farmers to follow the semi-grazing model, gradually reducing the herd size, but increasing the quality of products.

According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s agricultural restructuring plan in the period 2021-2025 with a vision to 2030, the province will restructure towards increasing the proportion of husbandry including sheep applying high yield varieties aiming to 90 per cent of crossbred sheep.

The province would improve water conservation and priorities providing water from rivers and reservoirs to households, key economic sectors and animals and to water perennial trees.

The Animal Health and Husbandry Sub-department would instruct farmers to keep their animals healthy, use water efficiently and not expand their herds if they cannot secure food and water for them.

Farmers should sell market-size and old animals and give their livestock additional food like bran, corn flour and molasses to enhance their health, according to the sub-department.