March 13, 2007

Vietnamese pint-sized pigs face extinction as crossbreeds dominate local market
 

The productivity of Vietnamese native pigs called "I" have been reconsidered but even financial incentives haven't been enough to get farmers breeding the species.

Scientists Minh Huong and Lam Quang Huy from Hong Duc University said despite efforts to revive breeding of the animal, most rural families are looking to other animals and crossbreeds, which have a record of producing more meat with heavier weights.

Weighing in at 50 to 60 kilograms (kg), the meat of I pig provides has a high fat content, which makes it suitable for banh chung, traditional Tet cakes.

Nguyen Nhu Cuong from Hong Duc University said I pigs are 54 percent fat and grease, while only 36 percent of their bodies can be considered lean meat. And for farmers who are looking for larger livestock, a one-year-old I pig only reaches 40 to 50 kg, while a crossbred pig can weigh between 70 and 80 kg at just six months old.

In 2003 there were 50 I sows and four boars; the current number of sows is down to 30, while the count of boars remains at four.

In the end, the government had to intervene to keep the I bloodline alive.

I pigs are preserved by poor households in Thanh Hoa Province with support from the state budget, who pays breeders VND30 million (US$1,875) per year and gives an extra VND300,000 to each family when a sow gives birth. They also offer to buy small sows at double the normal price.

Cuong said if the government suddenly withholds its financial support the species is surely to go extinct.