Dong Van forms a value chain for Golden Cow products

08:06, 05/05/2023

BHG - Golden Cow - a livestock breed with the advantage of being resistant to harsh weather and climate, with delicious meat quality is being built by Dong Van district into a brand of agricultural products with high economic value, forming a product value chain, bringing stable income to people, contributing to the conservation of valuable genetic resources, ensuring biodiversity in the homeland.

Raising Golden cows helps Dong Van people increase their income.

Agriculture plays an important role in the economic structure of Dong Van; in which, the development of raising Golden cows is focused on by the locality due to its advantages in terms of hardship tolerance, delicious meat quality, and popularity among many people. Raising Golden cows is a traditional occupation and is considered an advantage of the district; the total herd of cows is regularly maintained at over 23,000, mainly raised on a household scale with over 12,300 households, an average of 1-3 cows/household.

Head of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dong Van district, Nguyen Thanh Vien said: Golden Cow is a native breed of cow, raised by people for a long time, closely associated with the history, culture, and daily life of the people and considered a great asset. The Golden Cow breed has the ability to withstand cold, good resistance, large physique, high meat yield; the meat is sweet, soft, has a special flavor, toughness and high nutritional content. Therefore, Golden Dong Van beef is highly appreciated by many experts in the field of livestock farming for its quality; in 2019, Golden beef products were granted a Certificate of Geographical Indication Registration by the Department of Intellectual Property, creating favorable conditions for linking, processing and consuming beef products.

Since the 20th Dong Van District Party Congress, term 2015-2020 up to now, the district has identified cattle farming as one of the four key programs under the District's Agricultural Restructuring Project and Resolution No. 17, dated October 10, 2021 of the Provincial Party Committee, period 2020 - 2025, focusing on developing Golden Cow meat products into high-quality goods according to the value chain and becoming a typical product of the province and district. Therefore, every year, the locality allocates funds to implement projects to support the development of beef cattle production; improve the Golden Cow herd by artificial insemination.

From 2016 to present, the district has successfully artificially inseminated an average of over 1,000 cows/year. Coordinated implementation of the Project "Application of reproductive technology to develop the Golden Cow breed of Dong Van Stone Plateau", by applying production techniques, artificial insemination of Golden Cow breed to replace traditional breeding methods, to improve the quality of the cow breed; from 2019 to present, 7,900 doses of semen have been produced and supplied to the district for artificial insemination on cow herds. In particular, implementing the policy of developing livestock farming towards commodities, many families have expanded the area of planting VA06 grass, Goatemala grass, Elephant grass; the total area of grass planted in the district is currently over 3,000 hectares. Every year, over 70% of cattle raising households process grass silage to fatten beef cattle, forming raw material areas, creating a premise for linking consumption and processing of beef products in the area.

Chairman of Dong Van District People's Committee, Dinh Chi Thanh shared: To maintain the growth rate of the cattle herd, promote processing, and increase the added value of Vang beef, the district proactively connects with units to introduce and promote products to consumers; links with cooperatives to consume beef for people and implements the project of linking along the value chain of Dong Van Van Van beef, implemented in Sung La and Lung Tao communes with a total implementation cost of over 2.8 billion VND from the national target program on sustainable poverty reduction in 2023. Striving for the end of 2023, the total herd of cattle in the district will reach over 29,400 heads; the output of fresh meat for slaughter is estimated at over 1,280 tons, the production value is estimated at 103 billion VND.

Through practical research, raising Vang cattle in Dong Van district is still natural, not following technical requirements; environmental sanitation issues in raising cattle have not been well handled, causing environmental pollution. The management and use of breeds is not complete; the selection of breeding bulls has not been invested in accordance with requirements, so the value of the Vang cattle breed has not been fully promoted. Attracting businesses and cooperatives with enough potential to participate in the production and consumption chain of beef products is still difficult. The products are mainly consumed in raw form at local markets; the geographical indication and brand of Vang cattle have not been effectively promoted...

To overcome difficulties, the district determined to develop the value chain of Golden cows in the direction of prioritizing concentrated and industrial development associated with the consumer market; maintaining an average cattle herd growth rate of 3.8%/year; promoting the processing of diverse products and increasing the value of beef; exploiting and promoting the effectiveness of geographical indications and the Golden cow brand, moving towards exporting beef products. Implementing research projects, preserving and developing the Golden cow gene source; selecting and testing breeds, building a strict breed management system for each village, commune, and household; promoting the improvement of cattle herds by artificial insemination; planning each commune to have 1-2 facilities specializing in the production of breeds, with a scale of 10-20 breeding cows, to ensure the supply of breeds for people. Building beef cattle farming models applying high technology and digital technology; Training and guiding livestock facilities and households to synchronously apply scientific and technical advances in housing, care, feeding, and disease prevention and control measures, biosafety; propagandizing and mobilizing livestock households to follow good livestock practices, ensuring food safety and disease prevention...

“The district is focusing resources from national target programs, career programs, projects, science and technology, agricultural and industrial promotion. Diversifying resources from organizations, individuals, businesses, cooperatives and people; flexibly applying credit policies. Encouraging livestock households to link up to form farms and concentrated livestock areas; linking livestock households to form production groups, combining to establish cooperatives and cooperative groups to connect product consumption according to the value chain; encouraging and attracting businesses and cooperatives to participate in the closed beef value chain from breeding to product processing. Supporting the building of brands, trademarks, geographical indications for products, building OCOP beef products. Strengthening product promotion and introduction, finding consumption markets; developing display booths and selling products at tourist attractions and rest stops…” – Chairman of Dong Nai District People's Committee Van, Dinh Chi Thanh added.

Article and photos: Kim Tien

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