A half-century of elevating Vietnamese cattle breeds

The milestone shift from pelletized to straw-form frozen semen

In recent years, the National Center for Large Animal Breeding (under the National Institute of Animal Health) has continuously accessed, researched, and mastered the technology for raising numerous high-yield cattle breeds.

These include prominent breeds such as Holstein Friesian, Jersey, Sind, Sahiwal, Brahman, Limousine, Crimousine, Red Angus, Droughtmaster, Charolaise, and Blanc-Blue-Belgium (BBB), imported from countries with advanced livestock sectors like the US, Australia, and Belgium.

These carefully selected cattle breeds are raised to produce frozen semen for Artificial Insemination (AI), aiming to improve and elevate the productivity and quality of Vietnam's cattle herds. With these solid advancements, the Center has confirmed its pioneering role, holding a core position in the nation's large livestock breeding sector.

Tracing its history, the Center received special attention from the Cuban Government in the 1970s upon its founding, including assistance with infrastructure development and the transfer of modern livestock technology.

From 2001 to 2005, with the support of a JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) project, the Center underwent a significant transformation: shifting from traditional pelletized semen production to the production of straw-form frozen semen. This marked the beginning of a modernization era in animal breeding in Vietnam.

Thanks to state investment, the National Center for Large Animal Breeding imported modern straw-form frozen semen production machinery from the German company Minitube. Concurrently, the Center also mastered the straw-form frozen semen production technology transferred by Japan. Consequently, VINALICA-branded straw-form frozen semen is of high quality, boasts a high conception rate, and is distributed nationwide and exported.

During a visit, while showing the laboratory for researching, producing, and storing straw-form frozen semen, Mr. Phung The Hai, Director of the National Center for Large Animal Breeding, expressed his pride: "The 2001–2005 period became a crucial milestone when the Center bravely transitioned from pelletized semen to straw-form frozen semen production, keeping pace with global scientific standards and ushering in an era of modernization in breeding work”.

"Building on that success, the Center has continually adopted technology transfers, fully equipped its system with advanced machinery, and gradually perfected the straw-form frozen semen production process to suit Vietnam's practical conditions", Mr. Hai emphasized.

Additionally, over the years, the Center has trained thousands of inseminators across the country, advised provinces and cities on establishing buffalo and cattle AI systems, and boosted the work of improving and developing buffalo and cattle herds, gradually becoming the "cradle" of Vietnam's buffalo and cattle artificial insemination industry.

Affirming a leading position

Leading the tour of the barns, Mr. Hai shared his future expectations and his wish to continue receiving attention and investment from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and the Government. Specifically, he noted that the sooner the Center is equipped with a sex-sorted frozen semen production line, the greater the opportunity to rapidly multiply high-quality herds, meeting Vietnam’s growing breeding demands and expanding its reach globally.

"We are focused on importing high-quality cattle embryos from advanced livestock countries and then implanting them into female cattle in Vietnam. By adapting to the local climate conditions from inside the womb, the resulting stud bulls will have strong growth potential, creating high-yield breeds that possess both superior international traits and suitability for Vietnam's environment and farming practices," Mr. Hai stated.

In its role as a scientific research unit, the National Center for Large Animal Breeding has successfully executed state-level and ministerial-level scientific research projects, ministerial-level pilot production projects, provincial-level scientific research topics, and science and technology transfer projects to develop livestock farming in provinces and cities, all contributing to improving the productivity, quality of breeds, and the development of buffalo and cattle farming in Vietnam.

Beyond its leadership in breeding technology, the care and raising of the cattle herds at the Center are standardized according to international benchmarks. Depending on the season, the cattle's feed portions are balanced based on US nutritional standards and meticulously researched to ensure they are rich in nutrients but not excessive in energy, preventing conditions like potbelly that could affect reproduction. In addition to concentrated feed, the Center places special emphasis on using high-quality hay, notably the nutrient-rich Pangola grass, which helps the herds develop healthily and proportionately.

In the care of the stud bulls, which are considered "special subjects," technical workers closely monitor each individual. Every morning, bulls not slated for semen collection are walked for about 2 kilometers within the premises, then fed, watered, and rested. In the afternoon, they are bedded with dry straw, cleaned, and thoroughly checked for any scrapes or signs of skin disease. This process not only promotes blood circulation and maintains health but also fosters a close bond between the staff and the animals.

To date, the Center has produced and supplied tens of millions of high-quality frozen buffalo and cattle semen doses to the market, contributing to the improvement of Vietnam's Yellow cattle herds, the crossbreeding of beef and dairy cattle, and the development of Vietnam’s beef and dairy industries.

With over 55 years of experience and development, the National Center for Large Animal Breeding has achieved comprehensive mastery of the techniques for raising, caring for, and training stud bulls. The frozen semen production process there guarantees activity indices that meet international standards; in fact, some indices even surpass those of many imported semen sources.