Ninh Thuan (VNS/VNA) -  The south– central province of Ninh Thuan has raised sheep breeding to an industrialscale using advanced techniques to improve productivity and value.

The country’s largestsheep producing province has nearly 117,000 head of sheep, mostly in thedistricts of Bac Ai, Ninh Hai, Thuan Nam, and Thuan Bac, which normally haveprolonged hot weather during the dry season, making sheep the ideal livestockfor breeding, according to local farmers.

Ninh Thuan, which hasthe lowest rainfall in the country, has a dry season running from March toSeptember.

Thai Van Sang, who hasbred sheep in Bac Ai’s Phuoc Trung commune for more than 10 years, said theweather in his commune is especially severe and depletes natural food and waterfor livestock.

To secure food for hissheep and based on instructions by local agricultural officials, in 2018 Sangturned his 3,000ha field into a grass meadow.

He has also installedan efficient irrigation system to save water.

He also uses bran andother agricultural by-products to feed his 180 sheep.

His ewes reproducetwice a year, delivering one to two lambs each time, and a lamb could reach aweight of 20 – 30kg in six to eight months and could be sold, he said.

“My family earns 120million VND (5,200 USD) a year.”

Sheep is one of theprovince’s 12 specifically identified products besides grape, jujube,asparagus, goat, Ca Na fish sauce, and My Nghiep brocade.

Its Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development has speeded up efforts to train sheep farmersin breeding techniques and zone pastures.

It has createdfavourable conditions for companies and co-operatives to link up to developvalue chains for sheep breeding.

Truong Khac Tri, headof the Animal Health and Animal Husbandry Sub-department, said to improvelivestock farming efficiency, in 2021 – 30 the province plans to restructureanimal husbandry to develop large concentrated breeding farms with grassfields.

It would prioritiseadvanced breeding techniques to improve the quality of sheep, goats and cowsand productivity, he said.

It would produce morehybrid sheep to improve the quality of its herds and offer policy support toencourage companies and co-operatives that breed and sell sheep and process itsmeat.

It will step upinspection of disease prevention and control efforts and trade promotion.

High price

The prices of sheephave increased greatly this year, offering farmers high incomes, according tothe Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Traders now buy sheepon the hoof at 130,000 – 140,000 VND (5.6 – 6 USD) a kilogramme, up 10,000 –20,000 VND since the beginning of the year.

Prices are expected tokeep increasing because of high demand in the domestic market, according totraders.

This year the provincehas good weather and rains, and so there is abundant food for its sheep.

Its sheep meat productshave been issued geographical indication certification by the National Officeof Intellectual Property./.