Former poor household who escaped poverty by raising cattle does not forget his fellow villagers

In Min'an Village, Ping'an Town, Yunyang County, Chongqing, there is such a poor household. Not only did he lift himself out of poverty through his own hard-working hands, but he also motivated other poor households to raise cattle, setting them on the road to escaping poverty and becoming well-off.

Providing free services to poor households raising cattle

"Youpei, do you think my cattle pen can be built like this?" On September 18, in Min'an Village, Ping'an Town, Zhang Youpei was once again called by poor household Zhang Guojun to look at a newly built cattle pen.

"Is this for raising pigs?" Seeing that the cattle pen was built a bit low, Zhang Youpei spoke his mind bluntly. He told Zhang Guojun that the height of a cattle shed from the ground must not be less than 3 m, a single-row cattle pen is best 4 m wide, and the length is determined by the number of Simmental cattle, with no less than one meter per head, so that it can both ventilate and dissipate heat and make it convenient for the cattle to move around."

Buying breeding cattle, building cattle pens, treating cattle diseases - in Min'an Village, as long as it has to do with raising cattle, villagers take the initiative to come to Zhang Youpei to have him check things over. Village Party secretary Deng Shunwen said: "Zhang Youpei is also a poor household. He started raising cattle last year and escaped poverty by the end of the year. Now, the village's poor households are following suit in raising cattle. He has become the leader in escaping poverty by raising cattle, and he also provides free services to poor households raising cattle."

Borrowing money to raise cattle and escaping poverty

Zhang Youpei is 64 years old this year. A year ago, he was still a registered poor household. There are three people in his family. His wife is 63 years old, and his son suffers from a mental illness. Because there was no labor force, the family was very poor, and their source of livelihood depended only on farming a bit of crops.

In early 2015, a guest came to Zhang Youpei's home. The guest said: "The land in front of and behind your house is all treasure land. Why don't you make good use of it?" At that moment, Zhang Youpei had the idea of raising cattle.

During the Spring Festival, while other people were happily celebrating the holiday, Zhang Youpei looked at the large patches of grassland in front of and behind his house and felt very anxious. Zhang Youpei had raised two cattle 10 years earlier, so he understood cattle-raising techniques and cattle's living habits very well. However, he wanted to raise cattle but had no capital, and Zhang Youpei always felt that this Spring Festival was not enjoyable.

After thinking hard for more than two months, Zhang Youpei finally made up his mind. He took out the 10,000 yuan he had painstakingly saved to get his son a wife, and borrowed another 40,000 yuan from relatives and friends, and bought three Simmental breeding cattle.

Zhang Youpei treated the cattle like treasures. In addition to feeding them carefully, he also went to observe them several times morning and evening. Hard work pays off. That year, Zhang Youpei's three cows gave birth to three calves. Because Simmental cattle have a short growth cycle, they were ready for market in 4 months, and each head sold for more than 6,000 yuan.

"By the end of last year, I had sold 6 cattle. After deducting labor, feed and other costs, I earned more than 30,000 yuan. Not only did I take off the label of poverty, but my family's life also improved. I also took part of the money to buy two cows, and built a new cattle pen," Zhang Youpei said.

Encouraging poor households to get rich by raising cattle

"Moo, moo, moo..." On the grassland on the back hill, the reporter saw several calves happily grazing. When he came closer, Zhang Youpei saw that the reporter had come to interview him, so he quickly stood up, his face beaming with joy, and said: "I now have 5 cows producing calves. Recently, the cows gave birth to two more calves. This year I can not only expand the breeding scale, but also sell a few cattle for some cash. Earning tens of thousands of yuan is no problem at all!"

Zhang Youpei got rich by raising cattle, and the village's poor households also felt the urge to raise cattle. They all came one after another to visit the cattle pen Zhang Youpei built, and when they had time they chatted with Zhang Youpei about cattle-raising experience and techniques.

"There is money to be made in raising cattle. Raise them boldly. Look at me - in just two years, not only did I take off the label of poverty, but I also have savings! As long as you are not lazy, how could you fail to get rich? If you need help building cattle pens, treating cattle diseases, or selling cattle, call me and I will come whenever you call. I am willing to serve you!" Zhang Youpei promised the villagers.

Encouraged by Zhang Youpei, poor household Zhang Guojun raised 20,000 yuan in funds himself, and also secured industrial poverty alleviation funds from the government, and bought back several cows.

"What is admirable about Zhang Youpei is that after escaping poverty himself, he did not forget his fellow villagers, and he also motivated 10 poor households to raise cattle together." Deng Shunwen said.