A new breed of black chicken, known as H’Mong or Mong, has been trialled by some farmers in Quang Ngai province, Vietnam, as part of a pilot project by the local agricultural service center. The breed, which originated from the north of Vietnam, has shown promising results in terms of performance, disease resistance, and market value.
According to the center, each participating household received 50% subsidy for the cost of chicks and feed, as well as technical guidance on how to care for the chickens. The project started in September 2023 with a scale of 300 chickens per household and a total investment of 15 million VND (about 650 USD) per household.
After more than three months of implementation, the project has shown positive signs as the chickens have thrived in the local climate and environment, grown and developed well, and suffered from few diseases. The average weight of the chickens is now between 1.3 and 1.5 kg, and they can be sold after another month. The price of H’Mong chicken is higher than that of other traditional breeds in the area, ranging from 120,000 to 140,000 VND (about 5.2 to 6 USD) per kg.
The farmers who participated in the project expressed their satisfaction and interest in expanding the scale of production in the future. They said that the breed was easy to raise, could utilize the available feed sources from the local farming system, and had high-quality meat that was firm, fragrant, and nutritious. The breed is also considered as a premium product that is favored by many customers.
The director of the agricultural service center, Ton Long Can, said that this was the first year of testing the breed in the province, so they selected the households that had favorable conditions in terms of facilities, labor, and pasture. He said that the breed had a very low mortality rate, about 6%, and a high market value, indicating that the project was very successful.
He added that in early 2024, the center would continue to implement more projects in other areas to verify the suitability of the breed in the province and to scale it up. He said that there were already some communes that registered to join the project, but the district had not approved the plan yet. He hoped that the project would open up a new direction for animal husbandry, diversify the livelihoods, and reduce poverty for the local people.
Conclusion:
The introduction of H’Mong chicken to Quang Ngai province has been a successful innovation that has brought benefits to both the farmers and the consumers. The breed has proven to be high-performing, resilient, and profitable, as well as having high-quality meat that is in high demand. The project is expected to expand and develop further in the coming years, contributing to the advancement of the agricultural sector in the province.
