Farmers earn billions from raising ducks in high-tech cold barns

At Quang Yen town (Quang Ninh province), there are many models of applying for scientific and technical advances, implementing digital transformation, and bringing high income to farmers. The closed duck farming model of Mr. Dong Quang Cuong is prominent in Cam La commune (Quang Yen town).

Mr. Cuong said that in the past, raising ducks on ponds often encountered many diseases, was expensive, and the quality of commercial ducks was not high.

Realizing that the traditional farming method was no longer suitable, he researched, learned, and applied a digital transformation to production to reduce costs, increase profits, and limit risks in the breeding process.

Also, according to Mr. Cuong, raising many ducks will face difficulties in management and many risks of disease spread and environmental pollution.

In 2022, he boldly poured capital and borrowed more to invest nearly VND 5 billion in renovating and upgrading two closed barn systems (about 3.5 hectares) designed with ventilation. The barn floor has a mesh surface about 50cm high from the concrete floor. The ceiling is insulated with corrugated iron and installed a cooling fan system, automatic feeding system, and automatic drinking trough.

"Raising outside, the farmer must use from 2.7 - 2.9 kg of feed to get 1 kg of live duck. If raising in the cold barn, it will only take from 2.1 - 2.2 kg. Raising 10,000 ducks outside needs 8 workers, but the new model only needs 1 worker," said Mr. Cuong.

Raising ducks in cold barns using high technology has brought many benefits.

The first thing is that the ducks are well adapted to the climate, growing evenly, with high meat quality; Farmers are fully active in managing and monitoring the development indicators of ducks to have the plan to provide food, water and medicine for ducks remotely.

Mr. Cuong's farm has nearly 15,000 ducks, including 7,000 super egg-laying ducks and 7,500 super meat ducks.

Closed breeding process, fully vaccinated, so the ducks are healthy, the average weight is about 3.6kg after about one and a half months.

Each month, he sells more than 15 tons of commercial ducks with prices ranging from VND 42,000 to VND 45,000/kg, depending on each time.

The farm is also invested in four automatic incubators to produce duck eggs (18-19 days of incubation) and hatchlings (28 days of incubation), each with a capacity of incubating nearly 20,000 eggs.

Livestock waste is fully utilized thanks to the garden-pond-barn model (VAC) with four ponds for raising freshwater fish and a garden with 100 green-skinned pomelo trees and 100 early litchi trees...

In addition, Mr. Cuong is also an agent in the distribution and supply of animal feed in the locality. On average, the revenue from the VAC model of the family gives income from VND 800 million to more than VND 1 billion per month.

Mr. Dong Quang Cuong is not only good at production and business but also an active member of the local Livestock Professional Association with the desire to connect and spread new and effective breeding methods to many farmers.

Mr. Nguyen Thai Son, Secretary of the Party Committee of Cam La commune, said the number of waterfowl in Cam La commune is about 170,000.

The duck-raising model in high-tech cold barns is typical of Cam La commune. Mr. Cuong's duck egg product has been registered as a 3-star OCOP product.

As the Head of the Branch of the Duck Farmers Association in Cam La Commune, Mr. Cuong has supported more than 100 households to participate in the production product chain from ducks. Thereby contributing to the new rural development of the locality.

Many farmers in Quang Yen are applying Dong Quang Cuong's model of raising ducks in cold barns.

Commercial ducks of good quality, raised according to the model of applying science and technology, are not only sold in Quang Ninh province and neighboring provinces and cities such as Hai Phong and Hai Duong but also exported to the central and southern provinces.

Supporting farmers in Cam La commune to borrow capital to raise commercial ducks through the Farmers Support Fund will help expand production scale, develop the household economy, contribute to the development of the household economy, create jobs, increase labor productivity, build economic models linking agricultural product chains to ensure food safety and hygiene.