Characterisation of smallholder pig production systems in mountainous areas of North Vietnam

U. Lemke 1, L. T. Thuy 2, A. Valle Zárate 1, B. Kaufmann 1, N. D. Vang 2

1 Institute of Animal Production in the Tropics and Subtropics, Hohenheim University, Germany2 National Institute of Animal Husbandry NIAH, Hanoi, Vietnam

The Uplands ProgramResearch for Sustainable Land Use and Rural Developmentin Mountainous Regions of Southeast Asia

Deutscher Tropentag DTT. October 9 to 11, 2002; Kassel - Witzenhausen

Background

Ongoing Almost completedReplacement processof local pig breeds

Low-yielding genotypes:Vietnamese local

High-yielding genotypes:Vietnamese improved +

imported

Predominant pig genotypes

ExtensiveSemi-intensive to intensiveIntensity level ofpig production

Less developedBetter developedInfrastructure

LowerHigher Land pressure

LowHighPopulation density

Upland regions,hilltops

Mountain valleys,areas near town

Geographic location

Differentiation of the mountainous regions of North Vietnam

Objectives

Assess the suitability of local pig breeds and high-yielding improved pig genotypesfor smallholders in the research area Son La province

Identify potentials and limitations for future developmentof existing pig production systems

Comparison:

Vietnamese improved breed “Mong Cai” in a demand driven production systemvs.

Vietnamese local breed “Ban” in an resource driven production system

Integrate Ban pig in a breeding/ marketing programin the resource driven system?

Material and methods

Fieldwork: 2 - 7/ 2001; 1 - 8/ 2002

Situation analysis4 villages, 2001

Performancerecording

Weighing piglets731 ind. measurements

4 repititions, 2001/2

Discussing results with farmersIndividual discussions, 2002

Household interviews64 hh, 4 repetitions, 2001/2

Communication toolsfollowing PRA approach

2001/2

Description of the systemsVerification by farmers

Feedback seminars, 4 villages2002

Suggestions for improvementTraining workshop for farmers 2002

Report to local authorities

Literature reviewKey-person interviews

2001/2

HillsideFar from town

Mountain valleyNear to town

Geographic location

1516

Vietnamese localBan

Vietnamese improvedMong Cai + MC crossbreds

Predominant pig breed

Interviewed households (n)

Production system

1617

Resource drivenDemand driven

Study location

* ***

Son La Hat Lot

Ban Bo Ban Buon Na Huong

Bo Duoi

Household cash revenue

Exchange rate 2002: 15,500 VND ~ 1 USD Household interviews

0

4

8

12

16

20

24

Ban Buonn = 16

Ban Bon = 15

Na Huongn = 15

Bo Duoin = 15

Mill

ion

VND

CroppingOff-farmAnimals excl. pigsPigs only

Average cash revenue/ hh x year (2001/2);weighted by percent of farmers getting the respective type of revenue/ off-farm income

“Why do you keep pigs?“

Reasons given by farmers (%)

0.0 0.0 0.0 13.3 Saving

Resource drivenDemand drivenProduction system

3.0 11.8 0.0 0.0 Pay hired workers

48.5 61.70.0 4.8 Pigs for slaughter, pork for special occasions

1533

1534

1515

1521

Interviewed farmers (n)Answers (n)

42.4 26.5 93.3 71.4 Get income

Bo DuoiNa HuongBan BoBan BuonVillage

Further functions of pigs:ManurePigs as giftPork consumptionTradition

Household interviews; communication tools

Reproductive performanceof currently kept sows

Household interviews

Litters/ year

Piglets bornalive/ litter

Individual sows

0

4

8

12

16

0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64

00,5

11,5

22,5

3Ban Buon Ban Bo Na Huong Bo Duoi

Mong Cai Ban

1.2 ± 0.3 (n = 20)

7.3 ± 1.5 (n = 26)

1.8 ± 0.7 (n = 15)

11.2 ± 2.7 (n = 18)

Growth performance of pigs

LW x MC

MC = Mong Cai

LW x Ban

LW = Large White

Ban

Data from 94 piglets

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

0 50 100 150 200

Wei

ght(

kg)

Data from 32 piglets

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

0 50 100 150 200

Wei

ght(

kg)

Data from 95 piglets0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

0 100 150 Age (days)

Wei

ght(

kg)

50

Extraction from the pig herd

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Ban Buon(n = 16)

Ban Bo(n = 15)

Na Huong(n = 15)

Bo Duoi(n = 15)

Gift

Slaughter

Selling

kgliv

ewei

ght/

hhx

year

Average pig extraction/ hh x year;weighted by percent of households selling/ slaughtering/ giving pigs as a gift

Household interviews

050

100150200250300350400

8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96 104 112 120

Abs

olut

efr

eque

ncy

0102030405060708090

100

8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80 88 96 104 112 120Weight classes (kg)

Abs

olut

efr

eque

ncy

Demand drivensystemn = 862 sold pigs

Resource drivensystemn = 231 sold pigs

Weight distribution of sold pigs

Household interviews

Feeding managementin times of abundance and shortage

Lower amount/ day x pigIrregular purchasePurchase by more farmers, but still less than in demand driven system, no credits

Higher amount/ day x pigRegular purchasePurchase by more farmers, credits

Concentrate feed

Lower amount/ day x pigProduced maize mainly for sellingReplace by vegetable, cassava, rice bran

Higher amount/ day x pigProduced maize mainly for feedingBuy additional maize, credits

Maize

Higher amount/ day x pigIncrease amount/ day x pig > replacem.No purchase

Lower amount/ day x pigSame or smaller amount/ day x pig Purchase by few farmers

Cassava

Resource drivenDemand driven

Same feed componentsDifferent share of components in the rationDifferent feeding management in times of shortage

Blue: Feeding management in times of feed abundance Red: Feeding management in times of feed shortage Household interviews, communication tools

Exchange rate 2002: 15,500 VND ~ 1 USD Household interviews

Feed costsin times of abundance and shortage

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

Ban Buon(n = 16)(n = 16)

Ban Bo(n = 15)(n = 12)

Na Huong(n = 13)(n = 12)

Bo Duoi(n = 15)(n = 14)

Feed

cost

s/hh

x da

y (V

ND

) Abundance

Shortage

Average feed costs/ hh x day; for times of relative feed abundanceand relative feed shortage; weighted by percent of households buying feed

Appreciation of the local Ban breed

Household interviewsFollowing modified WTA approach (WTA = Willingness to accept compensation)

29 Ban keepers23 Non-Ban keepersSample51.70.0Keep Ban, no incentives required (%)

3.48.7Keep Ban under no circumstances (%)

44.891.3Keep Ban, but higher performance or economic incentives required (%)

Resource drivenDemand drivenProduction system

Prospectsfor Ban

rather negative

“Output from Bantoo low“

Prospectsfor Ban

rather positive

“Input in non-Bantoo high“

Conclusions

Smallholder pig production

Demand driven system: Income generationResource driven system: More diversified functionsDifferences in production conditions and resource availability

⇒ System-adapted development strategies required

Pig genotypes

Different production performancesKept under different management strategies

⇒ Production efficiency of genotypes in two systems not yet fully assessed

Local pig breed “Ban”

Appreciated by farmers in resource driven system Increasing market-orientation in resource driven system: Further role doubtful

⇒ Special breeding and marketing strategy for local Ban breed required

Acknowledgements

I wish to thank the following persons and institutions for supporting this study:

the participating farmers of Ban Buon, Ban Bo, Na Huong and Bo Duoi,

the directorate and staff of the National Institute of Animal Husbandry, Hanoi,

the directorate and staff of the Veterinary Sub-Department Son La province,

the People’s Committee Son La, DARD Son La and DOSTE Son La,

Mr. N. V. Hau, Mr. L. Q. Minh, Mr. P. D. Lan, Ms. L. T. T. Huong and Mrs. H. T. H. Tra (NIAH),Mr. T. Hai (Veterinary Department Son La) and Mr. L. T. Van (Veterinary station Son La),

the German Research Council DFG, the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD and the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg for financial support.