Preserving genes and breeding white horses

From the past two years, on the strip of land which is just a reed and wild land along the Red River dike in Yen My commune, Thanh Tri district, Hanoi has suddenly appeared a farm of up to seven hectares with nearly 100 white horses. The effort of the people here has not been wasted.

With the support of the Vietnam Veterinary Association and Vietnam Livestock Association, the herds are developing very well. Facing the risk of a sharp decrease in the number of white horse breeds in Vietnam, this is considered the first farm model in our country to study, preserve genes, breed and successfully breed this rare and precious white horse.

Not afraid to risk

Looking at the white horse herd that was cared for, quickly growing, the owner of the farm, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang, 50 years old, a native of Ha, became more confident.

Two years ago, the decision of her white horse farm investment was considered by many to be a big risk. Saying adventure is because of the experience from the failure of the feed mill, cattle and poultry farming before.

Recalling, Ms. Hang lamented: "Seven or eight years ago, this abandoned land on the Red River bank was quickly" liberated "to set up production farms and livestock. The ups and downs of schools have a big impact on the livestock, then the outbreak of A / H5N1 in poultry and blue ear disease in pigs makes thousands of chickens, ducks, pigs . here gradually "disappear "". She became white.

While struggling to find a job, find a job on this farm, she happened to see a television program about white horses and the idea of ​​breeding and breeding white horse genes starting here. Although she accepted to start from scratch, but supported and supported by technology transfer of the Vietnam Association of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Ms. Hang was determined to establish a farm, breeding white horse genes, though she knew that, in front, there are certainly many difficulties and challenges in breeding techniques and breeding.

" Even if failing, I will not let myself be discouraged " - Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang said. In order to be able to import white horse breeds, Ms. Hang borrowed from her friends over VND 100 million. But the money did not penetrate, she was forced to mortgage her home to borrow more capital.

At the end of 2007, she joined the Veterinary Association staff to Lang Son to buy white horse breeds. After many days of traveling, to remote areas in Cao Bang, Bac Can, Thai Nguyen and Tuyen Quang provinces, she bought ten more white horse breeds.

Ms. Hang shared: "I know that there are white horses, so I go to them. Sometimes I have to walk dozens of kilometers, cross many streams, and cross the wooded trees to buy a white horse. . ". Going much, finding out more about white horses, not only her but also veterinarians have to say that it is not easy for many people to confuse white horses and white horses. Ms. Hang said: " At that time, we went deep into Lang Son village to buy white horses, but when we arrived, we found out in dozens of horses, there were no white horses, but all horses and horses. white ".

In the white horse herd has been cultivated for two years, the farm owner introduced: "The white horse must converge the following elements: The eyes are white and cloudy, around the pupils there is a bronzed bronze rim, even in night, red eyes like fire spots Genital, nose, muzzle are red pink, four legs with horns, silver color, White horse without one of these features is only called needle horse, because it is a hybrid product between white horse and colored horse ".

At the farm, the pair of white horse parents bought in the country worth a few tens of millions of dong, but with big pure breeds of horses must buy nearly 100 million dong. In the two rows of stables in the farm area, the white horses were allowed by the Vietnam Veterinary Association to go to Tibet, China to buy and breed to look and stand out with their tall stature.

According to the staff here, Tibetan white horses are purebred, big, strong and have a very high reproductive rate. All horses brought back were checked for disease, vaccinated against diseases, including septicemia and after a new month for herd. A doctor of the Veterinary Association regularly takes care of health for these rare and precious white horses. Since the development of the farm, the white horse herd has been bought from the places where it has been purely bred and reproduced with good quality breeds.

Climate suitable

Farm raising white horses in Yen My commune is located right next to the corn fields along the Red River dike. For several years, after every harvest, people have "fully recovered" corn stalks to make dry food. The food storehouse for the horses prepared to deal with the high water season, always filled with dozens of tons of corn stalks, elephant grass, chicken grass . dried and shredded.

The horses were trained by the staff at the training farm, who were now accustomed to flooding every year, twice following "temporary" stay in tall "hanging" stables. In addition, the horse farm became an "outlet" for consuming vegetables in the vegetable growing area around Yen My commune.

The farm also creates regular jobs for about 10 employees, with a salary of 1.2 million VND / month and dozens of people of the commune on each seasonal occasion.

On a hot day, every horse herd was bathed in the lake of the farm, then rolled out into the trees under the trees. Stroking her mother's horse around the horse, Mrs. Thu Thao, a farm worker, said: "Newly born foals are allowed to drink more cow's milk. Care must also be taken to care for each horse and every cup. "Mother horses are supplemented with diets. There are mothers who" act as a baby ", stop eating, I must also" comfort ", or choose food for them to eat. Horses are well cared for, but only 12 months on average produce one litter. Even the weaning for the ponies to "live in" is well cared for by the staff here, with the technical support of the Vietnam Veterinary Association staff.

Experience from Yen My farm shows that white horses are very easy to raise, because they like omnivores (almost all tubers, fruits, vegetables, grass, rice, corn, rice bran .). According to experts at the Vietnam Veterinary Association, the source of food for white horses is available and easy to find, low cost, but gives horses good resistance, less disease, very suitable for breeding and breed. Our country has many favorable areas to develop and propagate white horses, because this animal is not only adaptable to all weather conditions. Not to mention raising white horses can help people quickly eradicate hunger and reduce poverty.

However, according to the Vietnam Animal Health Association, our country currently has only about 300 to 400 white horses, of which Huu Kien commune (Lang Son) has 150 children, the rest is scattered in the provinces. northern mountains.

Doctor Hoang Trieu, Standing Member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Veterinary Association, who firmly grasp the development of the farm, said: " With the fertility rate accounting for 40-50%, Bach horse farm of Yen commune The United States is the first model in the country that not only brings high economic efficiency by using local materials but also very successful in gene conservation, breeding and breeding rare and precious white horses in our country today. " .

Doctor Hoang Trieu said that this farm was successful in domesticating Tibetan horses in Vietnam's climate and living environment. That is the reason why the Association is planning to bring more Tibetan white horse breeds and Mongol horses to come here to breed and raise.

With the support of the Vietnam Veterinary Association and scientists interested in preserving and breeding white horses, it is expected that the herd of horses at Yen My commune farm will reach more than 100 animals by 2010. enough to be able to provide breeding horses to people.

The farm is also ready to help guide care techniques, as well as how to cook high-quality white horses with horses that are no longer fertile and qualified.

The Ministry of Health has also issued a license to the Veterinary Association to produce high-quality white horses at this horse farm. Cao Bach horse named Van An is certified as a qualified product that is currently reputable in many markets throughout the country.