Digital transformation in livestock farming: Chickens in cold rooms, listening to music

(DS 21/6) - For a long time, livestock farms in localities have encountered difficulties in environmental protection, traceability, and chain building... Based on this reality, Quang Nam has begun piloting support for businesses to implement digital transformation in livestock management.

Binh Minh chicken farm in Vinh Trinh village, Duy Hoa commune (Duy Xuyen) is the first unit to digitally transform farm farming in Quang Nam. Photo: T.CHAU

High-tech chicken farming

Binh Minh chicken farm in Vinh Trinh village, Duy Hoa commune (Duy Xuyen) is the first unit to implement digital transformation in farm farming in Quang Nam province.

This enterprise invests in modern equipment, implements automated steps to record and publicize data from input of animal feed products to output of egg products, and at the same time implements the most effective environmental protection solutions available today.

According to statistics of the Quang Nam Provincial Statistics Office as of April 2023: The total livestock herd reached 546,330 heads, the total poultry herd: 8,880,000 heads. The total farm-scale livestock herd accounts for 19.43%, with 13 large-scale farms, 163 medium-scale farms and 226 small-scale farms. Mainly concentrated in the localities of Phu Ninh, Nui Thanh, Dien Ban, Tien Phuoc, Dai Loc.

Ms. Truong Thi Hong Nhan - Deputy Head of Animal Husbandry Department, Quang Nam Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department said that the department has developed a plan to implement digital transformation in the field of animal husbandry and veterinary medicine.

Through a survey of the current situation, the department selected Binh Minh High-Tech Chicken Farm Company Limited to pilot digital transformation in livestock farming.

The Department coordinates with the Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition to guide facility owners in using the software and entering data into the Vietnam Livestock Product Traceability Software (VFSC).

Mr. Le Ngoc Quang - Technical Manager of Binh Minh High-Tech Chicken Farm Company Limited informed: Binh Minh Chicken Farm is raising 60 thousand laying hens in a closed cold house, the temperature in the farm is always cooled to suit the physiological characteristics of the chickens.

The music in the farm is played at a moderate volume, with a gentle melody to stabilize the psychology. That environment makes the chickens feel relaxed, so they are healthy, the egg production is stable, every day the farm collects about 54 thousand eggs, providing a stable supply to the market in and outside the province.

All stages from feeding, care, temperature control and disease prevention are digitalized to minimize labor. The farm uses biological bedding so the internal and external environment is always safe and clean.

Inevitable trend

Ms. Truong Thi Hong Nhan shared that, with the spirit of maximum support for businesses, in 2023, from the provincial budget, the department will continue to accompany the facility owners to carry out steps to evaluate chicken egg products, design product packaging, electronic stamps; register codes, barcodes; support the construction of electronic information farms to introduce products and sell online. After the end of the pilot project, the department will organize an evaluation of the implementation results, and based on the results achieved, the model will be replicated throughout the province.

In Quang Nam, there are currently 402 livestock and poultry farms of different sizes. The main form of livestock farming is the association between cooperatives, cooperative groups and associations and clubs in the form of processing livestock farming for businesses.

Mr. Pham Viet Tich - Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that modern, large-scale livestock farms are developing strongly, in which the form of association in livestock farming has brought initial results for people, businesses and cooperatives. However, the current reality in Quang Nam is that farms have not yet resolutely implemented digital transformation in livestock farming.

“Not converting to digital will cause difficulties for livestock farmers. Because, when deeply entering the market economy , livestock products must have full information on origin, traceability, and meet the certificates required by Vietnam and many other organizations.

Quang Nam is making efforts to support and guide digital transformation in the livestock sector to meet requirements on quality and food safety, increase people's income in the coming years and develop livestock in a safe and sustainable direction," said Mr. Tich.

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