Ninghe District, Tianjin: Hou Qingyong's specialty breeding leads to prosperity
In Dongjituo Town, Ninghe District, whenever Hou Qingyong is mentioned, people say he is a new-type farmer with a flexible mind who dares to lead the way. For many years, Hou Qingyong has relied on his own diligence and wisdom to figure out a method for raising foxes and raccoon dogs, embarking on the road to prosperity.
Hou Qingyong is a farmer from Xiaolu Village who has been raising foxes for nearly ten years. His foxes have grown from just a few dozen at the beginning to more than 500 now, and he has tasted the sweetness of prosperity. However, after visits and research, he learned that the fox breeding market in the north is ever-changing, so Hou Qingyong did not blindly expand his breeding scale, but instead focused on breeding techniques.
"At current market conditions, the market price of foxes is very sluggish, and we can't control that. So we start with breeding techniques, raise the number of foxes, and the cost price becomes relatively lower," said Hou Qingyong.
At the same time, Hou Qingyong also paid close attention to feed ratios and disease prevention, observing the habits and daily routines of the foxes in the fox sheds every day, studying and exploring breeding experience. "Our foxes are domesticated from wild ones, active at night and resting by day. We should feed them less during the day and delay a bit at night, feeding them more. They rarely get sick and are easier to raise than pigs, cattle and sheep," Hou Qingyong explained.
Although foxes are easier to raise than other livestock, during pregnancy they require careful attention.
Hou Qingyong told reporters that June is the fox whelping season each year. Usually a female fox can give birth to about 10 cubs per litter, but the survival rate of the cubs is often only half. Foxes are very "fussy" when pregnant. Firecrackers from a wedding in the neighborhood or a few loud thunderclaps on a rainy day can easily cause them to miscarry. During pregnancy, the female fox needs quiet rest, fresh food, and highly nutritious food. Eggs and milk are its favorites.
On this basis, Hou Qingyong added more breeding varieties and improved his breeding techniques, purchasing more than 200 raccoon dogs.
Hard work pays off. Now, the fur of the foxes and raccoon dogs Hou Qingyong has raised this year is glossy, and they were all ordered up by buyers long ago. The specialty breeding of foxes and raccoon dogs has formed a "double insurance" for Hou Qingyong's farm and has become a "refueling station" for increasing his income and achieving prosperity.