Determining Appropriate Amount of Redworm Meal Supplemented in the Diet of Broiler (Ho x Luong Phuong) in the Open Air Production System

peer reviewedA study was carried out on 168 heads of broiler chicken (Ho x Luong Phuong) from 5 to 12 weeks of age to measure the effect of red worm meal (Perionyx excavatus) used as a rich protein feed in the diet on growth performance, feed conversion and meat quality. Based on a completely randomized design, chickens were divided into four groups, involving a control group and three experimental groups corresponding to three levels of red worm meal, viz 8 and 6g/kg of feed (level 1), 13 and 10g/kg of feed (level 2), 18 and 14 g/kg of feed (level 3) according to two respectively growth periods of chicken (from 5 to 8 weeks of age and from 9 to 12 weeks of age. The results showed that supplementation of redworm meal with level 3 in the diets resulted in higher growth rate (P<0.05), lower feed consumption (reducing by 0.53 kg of feed/kg of weight gain, equal to 13.8%) and more improved of yellowness value (P<0.05) than those of control group. Adding redworm to chicken’s diets didn’t affect significantly other characteristics of meat quality (pH, drip and cooking loss, L* and a* values). If cost of worm is not calculated, feed price and feed cost per each kilogram of weight gain in group 3 will be reduced by 287 VND/kg and 4278 VND/kg, corresponding to 4.51% and 17.47% as compared with those of control one

Quality of Water used at pig farms in the Red River delta

peer reviewedA research was carried out to evaluate water quality using at 12 different pig farms in Bac Ninh, Hung Yen and Hai Duong provinces. Water samples were taken in two periods from October to December 2006 and from March to April 2007. Physical and chemical parameters were analysed at the laboratory of the Department of Veterinary Parasitology-Inspection and Hygiene - Hanoi University of Agriculture. The results showed that, all water sources using the pig farms came from underground and a half of which was not processed. Contents of COD(H+), COD(OH-), CO2, Cl- in water in Hai Duong and Bac Ninh were exceeded the hygiene standard. Iron content in water in all three provinces was exceeded the hygiene standard. After using a processed system including artificial rain, H2O2 supplement and filter the content of DO, CO2 and Fe in the water reached the permitted hygiene standard

ffect of the Halothane Allele on Growth Performance of Pigs and its Genotype Frequencies in the Progeny

A total of 395 tail samples of stress negative Piétrain new born piglets from the pig farm of Dong Hiep Haiphong were used to determine halothane genotypes (CC, CT and TT) in order to study the effect of mating type (♂CC×♀CC, ♂CC×♀CT, ♂CT×♀CC, and ♂CT×♀CT) on halothane genotype frequencies. Effects of genotype on live weight (174 pigs of 2 month old, 96 pigs of 5.5 month old), back fat thickness, loin muscle thickness and lean percentage (117 pigs), average daily gain (89 pigs) were also studied. Results showed that the mating type affected halothane genotype frequencies in the progeny. For the mating type ♂CC×♀CT and ♂CT×♀CT, the genotype containing allele T was reduced in the next generation; in the rest two genotypes (♂CC×♀CC and ♂CT×♀CC) the halothane allele frequency in the offspring was consistent with the theoretical frequency. The halothane genotypes CC and CT did not affect live weights at 2.0 and 5.5 months of age, average daily gain, backfat thickness, loin muscle thickness and lean percentage.Peer reviewe

Production and processing of canna vermicelli in Hung Yen province toward sustainable development

Located in the Red River Delta region, Hung Yen province has 923000 ha of total land area, of which agricultural land area occupied 60.67%. The agricultural land area per labor is 0.1 ha. However, it has been annually decreasing due to the development of industrial zone, construction of urban zone, expansion of road… For these reasons, the stainable development for production and processing of agricultural products plays a very important role in job creation for farmers who loosed their own agricultural land, avoidance of quantity and quality loosing of raw agricultural products and increase in economic efficiency of agricultural production and processing. The production and processing of canna are traditional jobs of rural households in Hung Yen. They not only have been creating jobs for rural households but also increasing in their income. Beside the social and economic benefit created by these activities, the processing activity has caused many negative consequences. It led to environmental pollution due to its waste, overuse of chemical substances. Desiccated of vermicelli in bad condition resulted in the unsafe food. Therefore, this study is conducted to deeply investigate both positive effects and negative consequences created by production and processing of canna vermicelli in term of economic, social and environmental aspects. This study concentrates on the farm households; discuss advantages and disadvantages of production inputs, processing techniques and output market of their products from arrowroot to vermicelli; and find out solutions for the sustainable development for production and processing of vermicelli

Dynamics of Agrarian Systems and Land Use Change in North Vietnam

peer reviewedDuring the period of socio-economic transformation initiated in the late 1980s by the political reform (Doi Moi) in Vietnam, the agrarian systems evolved considerably. In the region around the capital, where the process of industrialization, urbanization, and international integration has been accelerating, a number of questions about the sustainability of those agrarian systems have been raised. By diagnosing and analysing the dynamics of the agricultural systems in Vietnam from 1980 to 2010, this study aims to provide decision-makers with some sectorial and territorial policy options that are able to authorize the sustainable development of agriculture and rural society in the new socio-economic context. By applying a systematic approach, including the historical and adaptive approaches, this study shows how well farmers in the Hai Duong province have adapted to socio-economic and institutional changes, notably by transforming part of their paddy farms into other agricultural land use purposes, such as fish ponds, animal buildings, vegetable fields, and fruit orchards. These rapid changes, however, do not move in a direction that improves the sustainability of agrarian systems. The results revealed that farm holders are now facing many technical and economic contradictions, whereas issues that arise from the land no longer are only related to agricultural purposes. Competition for different functions of land use are now emerging, along with the fragmentation of plots, an imperfect land market, and rising property values ​​are all emerging. The prospect of the sustainability of agricultural systems was also analysed under different scenarios, highlighting the complexity of policy options

Contract Farming as a Determinant of Promoting Tea Marketing Channel for Small Producers in Phu Tho Province

Making contracts between farmers and firms (contract farming, for short) plays an important role in establishing access to the agricultural markets for the small producers, especially in the developing and less developed countries. It is argued that contract farming provides farmers with the assured sale of their crops and agro-business firms with a steady supply of agricultural products required by the market. This paper focuses on analyzing benefits of tea producers through signing contract with firms. By using relevant research methods of verifying studying areas, making Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), and surveying farmers, the paper finds that although contract farmers receive lower fresh tea price in compared with the price received by non-contract farmers, they would have higher price stability and are provided with market guarantee mechanism. These benefits are really important in context of globalization and market liberalization with the demand for high quality and high value products. It is highly recommended that small farmers therefore should participate in the coordination model between farmers and firms in the process of tea production and marketing in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam.Peer reviewe

Dynamics of agriculture – rural of one commune in Red River Delta in period of economic transition from 1980 to present: case of Cam Hoang commune, Cam Giang, Hai Duong

peer reviewe

Primary Evaluation on Growth Performances of Stress Negative Piétrain Pigs Raised in Hai Phong Province of Vietnam

peer reviewedThe present study was carried out on 19 stress negative Piétrain pigs (Pietrain ReHal), consisting of 13 gilts and 6 young boars imported from Belgium, raised in the livestock farm of Dong Hiep (Hai Phong) in order to evaluate growth performances and their adaptability in the North of Vietnam. Results showed that the average body weight of the whole herd at 2, 4, 5.5, and 8.5 months old was 19.05, 51.05, 85.82, and 119.47 kg, respectively. During the growing periods, except the first stage, the male grew faster than the female and the pigs of the CT genotype grew faster than those of CC genotype although the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The average daily gain (ADG) was 528.56 grams for the whole herd. The ADG was higher for the male (546.48 grams) than for the female (520.29 grams), and its was higher for the CT than the CC, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) was 2.69 kg. The estimated lean percentage at 8.5 months old was 64.08%. The results indicate that Piétrain stress negative pigs could develop well on the farm conditions in Hai Phong, Vietnam