In the past year, the free-range model of farming raised 50,000 chickens in Chương Mỹ, Quốc Oai, Thanh Oai districts and Sơn Tây Town. — Photos courtesy of the Hà Nội Agricultural Promotion Centre

HÀ NỘI — A model of raising free-range chickens has been introduced by the Hà Nội Agricultural Promotion Centre (HAPC), ensuring biosecurity, quality products and high economic efficiency. 

In recent years, Chương Mỹ, Quốc Oai, Thanh Oai districts and Sơn Tây Town have been developing a free-range style of raising chickens.

To help farmers achieve high efficiency, the HAPC model uses herbs to raise chickens in the garden, improving biosecurity. The model is being trialled in some localities.

In Sơn Tây Town, the model was deployed last year in Đường Lâm Commune and Phú Thịnh Ward, with 10,000 chickens across 10 households.

As one of the participants in the model, Phan Thanh Phương from Đường Lâm Commune said that the free-range chicken farming model supplemented with herbs helps detoxify livers, improving resistance and limiting the use of antibiotics in the process of raising chickens and improving product quality.

His family's Mía chickens are a local speciality, thanks to good breeding techniques. This not only contributes to preserving and breeding the Mía chicken brand in Sơn Tây, but also helps farmers earn a better income.

In Quốc Oai District, the model was deployed in Đông Yên and Phú Cát communes.

Households participating in the model were also supported by the HAPC, who cover 50 per cent of the costs for breeders and feed. The remaining 50 per cent of the costs are paid by the households themselves.

Before supplying breeders, the Quốc Oai Agricultural Promotion Centre trained households on how to use herbs in raising free-range chickens towards the direction of biosecurity.

The centre regularly appoints staff to closely follow and guide households in techniques of brooding, care and disease prevention with herbs for chickens.

The model has shown clear results and all of the households will continue to apply this method in raising the next generation.

Director of the Hà Nội Agricultural Promotion Centre Vũ Thị Hương (second right) and other experts visit a free-range Mía chicken farm in Sơn Tây Town. Thanks to the addition of herbs, they grow well and product quality is improved.

A report from HAPC said that last year the model of using herbs to raise free-range chickens was deployed on 50,000 chickens across 11 places in Chương Mỹ, Quốc Oai, Thanh Oai districts and Sơn Tây Town.

The summary showed that chickens grow faster and in a similar size to each other. The average weight is over 2.2kg per chicken.

This equals a profit of VNĐ55-60 million (US$2,400-2,640) per 1,000 chickens - 15-20 per cent higher than conventional farming methods.

Mixing herbal products into the feed significantly reduces diseases among the chicken, helping them to grow healthily and reducing the need for veterinary drugs.

The model also brings economic efficiency to farmers. 

Evaluating free-range chicken farming and the biosecurity benefits, HAPC Director Vũ Thị Hương said that new breeding techniques were applied in the safe-farming chicken model issued by the Hà Nội Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

This method reduces the use of antibiotics in livestock, so it ensures no antibiotic residues in meat products, reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Compared with conventional chicken farming, the efficiency of biosecurity-oriented farming increased significantly.

After the model’s success, the HAPC will continue to promote education and organise visit for farmers to spread these effective methods to other farmers in Hà Nội. — VNS