Xieng Khuang promoting native cattle exports
Xieng Khuang province plans to expand the breeding of native cattle for domestic and overseas sales with the province already exporting almost 10,000 head per year. The province has promoted health programmes with vaccinations to protect local breeds from diseases and ensured that sufficient pasture grass has been grown to feed the cattle. Besides this, local authorities are encouraging domestic and foreign investment and have established an animal fund to help address poverty in rural areas. Under the fund, poor farmers can receive cattle breeding stock over a five year period. When a cow gets pregnant the farmer must return the first two calves to authorities, then the cow will belong to the farmer. Beef production in Xieng Khuang has proven to be cost effective over its wide expanses of land and the province plans to import about 1,000 cattle from Australia this year, an increase of almost 50 percent compared to last year.
