Raising geese leads to prosperity, and daring to try new things is the key

An ordinary farmer from Guanzhong, who never attended university and never received professional training, relied solely on the diligence and dedication of a man from Weibei to make the "Muscovy duck" (Cairina moschata), originally native to South Africa, settle down in Fuping, Shaanxi, and embarked on a successful road to prosperity and moderate comfort through breeding. He is Ma Yongshun, a villager from Yihe Village, Liugu Town, Fuping, Shaanxi.

A few days ago, the reporter came to Yihe Village in Liugu Town by reputation. In a large courtyard south of the village, the reporter met Ma Yongshun. He was adding water to his Muscovy ducks under the blazing sun, and flocks of Muscovy ducks surrounded him like children. Ma Yongshun told the reporter: "A few years ago, he was still the village Party secretary. Later, because bone hyperplasia in both legs worsened year by year, he had to resign from his post. In 2008, by chance, he saw a report on CCTV about breeding Muscovy ducks, and he became very interested in it. After that, he tried to contact manufacturers of duck breeds in the south, and finally, through his efforts, introduced the first batch of duck breeds from Putian, Fujian."

Ma Yongshun was very attentive to breeding Muscovy ducks. Every day at 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., he added water and feed once each. Throughout the breeding farm, disinfectant was sprayed once every 15 days. He also had the young Muscovy ducks vaccinated once each in the 1st month, 2nd month and 5th month of growth, which reduced the probability of illness among the Muscovy ducks, greatly increased the survival rate, and reduced losses. Hard work pays off. In the 6th month, the Muscovy ducks began to lay eggs. Looking at the collected Muscovy duck eggs, Ma Yongshun was happier than words could say.

Now, regarding Muscovy duck breeding, Ma Yongshun is full of confidence: "In the Muscovy duck breeding I am doing now, I have no worries. If the eggs cannot be sold, the manufacturer buys them back; when the ducks get old and can no longer lay eggs, the manufacturer also buys them back. So this time I bought back 5,000 in total. Under normal circumstances, after this batch finishes laying and is sold, a conservative estimate of net profit is around 400,000 yuan. Compared with those villagers who grow greenhouse melons, fruits and vegetables, mine saves much more time and effort. They earn only a few tens of thousands of yuan a year, while I earn several hundred thousand yuan a year!" Comparing the income gap with the villagers, Ma Yongshun felt very proud.

"In the future, I plan to let the people around me raise them together with me, and I also hope everyone can embark on the road to prosperity through breeding Muscovy ducks," Ma Yongshun said. As a Communist Party member, although he has left his post, Ma Yongshun still keeps the masses in his heart. While becoming prosperous himself, he does not forget to point out for his fellow villagers a broad road leading to moderate comfort.