Nutritional constraints and possibilities for pig production on small-holders farms in Central Vietnam

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional situation of pigs kept in three ecological zones of central Vietnam: Upland, Lowland and Coastal Area. An interview-based questionnaire was made and surveys were conducted in 27 villages and data were collected from 1,200 participating households. The current study showed that amounts of feed and crude protein content in the diets for fattening pigs and sows are deficient for all three regions. Amounts of feed as DM (kg/d) fed to growing pigs of 20-50 kg BW was deficient by 0.54 kg (29%) in Lowland, 0.53 kg (28.6%) in the Coastal area and 0.42 kg (22.4%) in Upland. The deficiency in CP in the diets of growing pigs in this period (20-50 kg) was largest at 20.7 g/d (62.1%) in Lowland, following by 22.1 g/d (66.4%) in Coastal and 23.2 g/d (69.7%) in Upland. Amount of feed as DM (kg/d) fed to growing pigs of 50-90 kg BW had a deficiency of 1.26 (48.9%), 1.25 (51.2%) and 1.14 (51.5%) kg/d in Lowland, Coastal and Upland, respectively. The deficiencies in crude protein in the growing diet during this period in Lowland, Coastal and Upland regions were 27 g/d (68.3%), 29 g/d (71.9%) and 30 g/d (74.6%), respectively. The deficiency in DM intake (kg/d) of pregnant sows in the Lowland area was 0.3 kg (15%), 0.33 kg (16%) in the Coastal area and 0.47 kg (23.5%) in the Upland area. Crude protein content in the diet of pregnant sows raised in Lowland was 8 g/d (32.0%) deficient, in the Coastal region the deficiency was 11 g/d (42.7%) and in Upland this deficiency was 15 g/d (61.2%). The deficiency in DM intake (kg/d) of lactating sows raised in Lowland was 1.47 kg (31.1%), in the Coastal area this was 1.69 kg (39.2%) and in Upland it was most deficient at 2.46 kg (57.1%). The lack of crude protein content in the diets of sows raised in Lowland was 45 g/d (63.4%), in the Coastal region it was 46 g/d (65%), and in Upland it was 55 g/d (78.9%). The low input of feed in these areas is especially due to low quality and to the insufficient intake of nutrients by the pig. As a result, production and income of farmers are low