Since 2022, the price of live buffalo and cattle has decreased and shows no signs of a strong rebound. At times, it has fallen by as much as 50% compared to before, while feed costs have increased and product outlets are unstable... causing many difficulties for livestock farmers.
Livestock farmers in Thuong Ninh commune (Nhu Xuan district).
Despite having extensive experience in cattle farming, the family of Ms. Le Thi Tram in Hoang Dong commune (Hoang Hoa district) has recently had to reduce their livestock numbers. According to her, the price of beef in previous years fluctuated around 90,000 - 95,000 VND/kg, peaking at 130,000 VND/kg. However, since 2022, the price has gradually decreased and is currently only around 80,000 - 83,000 VND/kg. Furthermore, farmers also bear the additional costs of feed, vaccines, and veterinary medicine. At such prices, households raising cattle for fattening are certain to incur losses. On the other hand, many households are also facing difficulties in selling their products due to oversupply, and traders are becoming more stringent in selecting high-quality cattle.
As one of the localities with a long tradition of livestock farming, Thieu Nguyen commune (Thieu Hoa district) previously had about 1,000 households engaged in livestock raising. However, today, only 200 households maintain their herds due to job changes and the lack of high economic efficiency from livestock farming. Mr. Mai Van Ky, head of Nguyen Ly village, said that only 30 households in the village are still developing BBB and Sind crossbred cattle farming, with small herds. Currently, a cow sells for only 30 to 35 million VND instead of around 40 to 45 million VND as before. Because of fluctuating prices and unstable markets, people are no longer enthusiastic about livestock farming.
Similarly, the price of live buffalo meat has decreased from 90,000 VND/kg to approximately 82,000 VND/kg compared to the same period last year. Although prices have shown a slight increase recently, livestock farmers are still unable to make a profit. Despite the prolonged decline in live buffalo and beef prices, the price of commercial meat at local markets and supermarkets in the province remains high due to costs such as transportation, labor, and slaughtering fees, which have not decreased and have even increased compared to the same period last year.
In previous years, the consumption of buffalo and cattle slowed down due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, from the beginning of 2022 until now, although the pandemic has been brought under control, the output of the product largely depends on the Chinese market, and domestic consumption is slow, causing many people to face difficulties. They choose to reduce their herds or "suspend farming" waiting for prices to stabilize.
Given the current situation, the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine recommends that cattle farmers continue to monitor the market to develop appropriate farming plans, implement measures to stabilize production, save costs, and avoid drastic herd reductions that could disrupt supply. In addition, localities should focus on guiding people in implementing disease prevention and control measures, encouraging and supporting people to change their farming methods from small-scale to farm-based models, improving the size and quality of the cattle herd through breeding and transfer of biosafety farming techniques. Simultaneously, they should reduce the use of industrial feed and utilize agricultural by-products such as straw, corn stalks, bean stalks, peanut stalks, etc., for fermentation; and expand the area for growing fodder grass to reduce feed costs.
To develop sustainable and stable buffalo and cattle farming, localities need to establish cooperatives and production linkages; encourage and call on businesses to invest and establish links with people to overcome difficulties in consumption, helping people develop livestock farming sustainably.
Text and photos: Le Ngoc
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