Urgently restore livestock farming, anticipate the year-end market

Typhoon Yagi left behind major damage to agricultural production, including the destruction of many large livestock farms, raising concerns about food shortages, especially during the Lunar New Year.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Thang (Khanh Duong commune, Yen Mo district) takes care of his livestock.

Damage and shortage

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Typhoon Yagi is a powerful storm, causing widespread heavy rain and flooding, with serious consequences. In the livestock industry alone, preliminary statistics show that over 26,000 cattle and over 2.9 million poultry have died. Not only that, many farms have been severely damaged and cannot be restored "overnight".

For Ninh Binh province, although not directly affected by the storm, not suffering as much damage as other localities, it has recorded over 6 thousand livestock and poultry dead or swept away. For example, the livestock farm of Mr. Pham Ngoc Thang (Khanh Duong commune, Yen Mo district) is located in the alluvial area along the Vac river, so it was significantly affected by the recent flood.

Mr. Thang said: I have been working in this alluvial land for nearly 20 years, but I have never seen the river water rise so high and so fast. My family's entire farm was flooded to a depth of more than 1 meter. Fortunately, I received help from my friends and brothers, urgently evacuating more than 1,000 ducks, 800 chickens and nearly 40 pigs to a safe place. However, during the transportation, the animals were still soaked with water, hungry and cold, so about 100 poultry died.

According to the reporter's records, the price of live pigs in the last days of September increased by about 3-4 thousand VND/kg compared to 1 month ago, at 67-68 thousand VND/kg. Experts said that the decrease in pork supply was not only due to storms and floods but also due to the complicated developments of African swine fever. It is forecasted that the price of live pigs will continue to increase in the coming time and may reach 80 thousand VND/kg. Meanwhile, from now until the end of the year, especially during the Lunar New Year 2025, the demand for pork will increase by about 10-15% compared to normal days. Therefore, localities need to strengthen support measures, encourage farmers to increase and restore their herds, and at the same time apply disease prevention measures to ensure food supply at the end of the year.

Promote herd growth, herd restoration, ensure disease safety

Returning to the farm of Mr. Pham Ngoc Thang (Khanh Duong commune, Yen Mo district) after the days of storms and floods, production activities have basically returned to normal. Mr. Thang shared: After the water receded, I cleaned, disinfected, raised the floor of the barn, repaired equipment, and then brought the livestock back. There are about 4 months left until Tet, which is enough for a breeding cycle, so the family is ordering breeding stock from reputable establishments to prepare for herd restoration. It is expected that this time, the farm will release about 700 more broiler chickens and 50 breeding pigs to anticipate the year-end market.

Urgently restore livestock farming to anticipate the year-end market — There are about 4 months left until Tet, so farmers are actively adding new batches of chickens. (In the photo: Farmers in Dong Son commune, Tam Diep city apply the biological bedding model, ensuring disease safety in chicken farming).

Predicting that the prices of livestock products will continue to increase in the coming time, Mr. Duong Van Hien's family (Khanh Thinh commune, Yen Mo district) quickly imported 80 more breeding pigs to raise, along with continuing to maintain a flock of more than 600 laying ducks.

Mr. Hien said: "Although the price of piglets is a bit high, I still boldly invest because the market is still lacking in supply, and the price of live pigs is constantly increasing. The most important thing right now is how to raise pigs well, ensuring disease safety."

At present, not only Mr. Thang and Mr. Hien but also people in many other localities are overcoming difficulties, urgently increasing and restoring herds to meet market demand, contributing to price stabilization and increasing income. However, according to experts, from now until the end of the year, the weather will continue to fluctuate. Diseases such as blue ear disease, foot and mouth disease, African swine fever, avian influenza... are still major risks. Therefore, disease prevention and biosafety must be given top priority.

Mr. Tran Van Luan, Head of Technical Department, Provincial Agricultural Extension Center recommends: Farmers should only re-herd when the livestock barns have been reinforced, repaired, cleaned, disinfected and sterilized. Implement good management and care of livestock, and take additional vaccination measures immediately after floods for livestock against diseases such as foot and mouth disease, septicemia, cholera, paratyphoid, and avian influenza to prevent possible outbreaks of disease.

Besides, after the flood, the livestock market is in short supply, the price of breeding animals is high, so people need to prepare materials and breeding animals, proactively find and choose breeding animals from reputable suppliers, ensure that the breeding animals are disease-free, and prepare for herd restoration.

Local authorities need to launch general cleaning, disinfection and sterilization campaigns after floods to eliminate pathogens in the environment. In addition, closely monitor, detect early signs of disease in livestock, and promptly handle suspected cases. Pet owners need to immediately notify the authorities when detecting signs of illness in animals, and are not allowed to slaughter, trade or dispose of dead animals in the environment.

Article and photos: Nguyen Luu