Farmer Tian Mengqiang of Xinji Township, Lushan County, became a "duck commander" through raising ducks

In the farming circle of Xinji Township, Lushan County, "Duck Commander" Tian Mengqiang can be considered an outstanding figure.

Six breeding sheds are spacious and bright; inside the sheds, young ducks are foraging and drinking water, adult ducks stand or lie down in the sheds, more than 2,000 ducklings are quacking in the brooding room, and a standard brick-and-concrete breeding house has been completed. At the Mengqiang Farm in Penguo Village, Xinji Township, Tian Mengqiang introduced that the farm's fixed assets have reached more than 1 million yuan, and there are currently more than 10,000 finished ducks and young ducks on hand.

Tian Mengqiang, now in his 50s, is a native of Penguo Village. In 2009, while doing business away from home, he unfortunately suffered a serious illness, and the high medical expenses plunged him into difficulty, making him a particularly impoverished household in the village. Lying on the hospital bed, he thought of his parents in their 70s who needed support and his two young children who still needed care, and for a time he was disappointed with life. Thanks to the help and financial support of relatives and friends, he got through the difficult time.

After recovering, Tian Mengqiang could not do heavy work, but he was unwilling to give in or show weakness. He thought of many ways to make money, but ran into setbacks many times. By an accidental opportunity, he got information about becoming rich by raising ducks. After receiving the agreement and support of his wife Xie Zengli, he traveled to many places to borrow funds, and borrowed 23,000 yuan from relatives, friends and neighbors, starting his entrepreneurial path.

Tian Mengqiang said that everything is hard at the beginning. When digging a deep water well, the first time he asked relatives and friends for help, they only dug 30 m, and the water volume was insufficient. For this reason, he had to hire a professional well-drilling team, and the labor cost was more than 1,000 yuan per meter; an 80 m well cost a lot of money, which hurt him deeply. The first breeding shed he built was only 240 sq m, and the first batch of ducks he raised was only more than 1,000. At the critical stage when the young ducks were in the brooding room, the couple slept in the brooding room and took turns looking after them, observing the thermometer once every 20 minutes and controlling the temperature in time.

"The first batch of ducks sent to market was more than 900, with a profit of nearly 4,000 yuan," Tian Mengqiang said. "That year we raised 5 batches, and when we calculated the income at the end of the year, it was still decent. I was happier than I can say!" Having tasted the sweetness and gained experience, the couple became even more motivated to raise ducks. Tian Mengqiang began to borrow funds again to expand production. With the help and support of village and group officials, the farm's area increased year by year, and the breeding became more standard and regulated. Now, Tian Mengqiang's farm has 6 breeding sheds, with a total area of more than 3,800 sq m, a standardized brick-and-concrete breeding house of more than 800 sq m, a newly built brooding room of more than 120 sq m, a more scientifically designed feed storage warehouse, and the farm is also more standardized.

"There are now more than 8,000 ducks and chickens on the farm. One shed of ducks will be ready for market in another 20 days, and the next batch of ducklings has already been arranged. This year, it is expected that about 100,000 finished ducks will be sent to market," Tian Mengqiang said.