The Director of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine said that from January 1, 2027, participants in the data system program will declare information when slaughtering and transporting livestock to the slaughterhouse.

The information was stated by Mr. Duong Tat Thang, Director of the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Medicine, at a conference on technology application and artificial intelligence (AI) in livestock production on the morning of October 29. According to him, the management agency is coordinating with technology businesses and livestock units to build a data system, aiming to manage the process of livestock production, transportation and consumption. The goal is to provide data to monitor the circulation process, support traceability and reduce paperwork for farmers and businesses.

Mr. Thang said that when implementing, the major difficulty lies not in software costs but in changing habits, raising awareness and ensuring that all parties declare complete and accurate data. If only a few large enterprises deploy it individually, the data will be scattered and unable to comprehensively reflect the industry's activities. Therefore, the system needs the participation of associations, businesses and breeders.

In fact, some businesses have applied technology to farm management. Greenfeed representative said that the business has been digitizing data for many years. From 2026 AI testing analyzes productivity indicators between farms. The system can detect indicators that have not reached the target, helping managers find the cause and adjust the process.

The business also tested cameras incorporating AI to monitor people, vehicles entering and exiting, and compliance with biosecurity procedures. However, cases that have not been clearly identified by the system still need to be checked by humans. Some other solutions such as recording by phone at the barn and attaching electronic identification tags to animals are also being tested to evaluate effectiveness before expanding.

Hoa Phat representative said that the business is managing about 25,000 sows, applying data to the production process and automating microclimate conditions and feeding in the barn. Over the past year, businesses have trained managers to use AI for analysis and forecasting. However, technology only supports warnings and suggestions; The decision still belongs to the experienced person. The quality of the results depends on the accuracy of the input data and compliance with the process.

Ms. Ha Thi Hanh, who has 15 years of experience working in agricultural extension, believes that AI can be effective in forecasting and warning of diseases, selecting varieties, food, nutrition as well as barn management. When data from the farm is connected to the laboratory, specialized agencies can use test results for early warning, while avoiding wasting resources.

Technology can also support market forecasting, prices and the impact of climate change so farmers can adjust production plans. However, applications need to be connected on an easy-to-use platform, instead of requiring farmers to declare on too many different systems.

According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Trong, Vice President of the Vietnam Agricultural Farm Business Association, many farms and businesses already have their own identification codes, production data or management systems. However, the data has not been connected, so traceability and food safety control are limited. There are products that are labeled but it is still difficult for consumers to fully determine the production process.

He suggested connecting livestock identifiers with information about breeding, transportation and slaughter processes. When data is linked, management agencies and businesses can identify the stage where food safety problems arise, while avoiding having to re-enter information when switching to a new system.

The data problem is also associated with the imbalance between supply and demand. A representative of the Poultry Association said the industry is facing difficulties because the supply of some types of chicken exceeds demand, including colored feather chickens. The association wants production data to be shared between businesses, breeders and management agencies to have a basis for adjusting herd size and limiting spontaneous production.

Mr. Nguyen Chi Cong, Chairman of Dong Nai Livestock Association, gave the example that the cost of pig production is about 55,000 VND per kg but the selling price at times is only about 45,000 VND. He questioned whether AI can help farmers recognize when to continue or reduce production scale.

According to Mr. Cong, technology cannot individually solve the industry's difficulties if data is not connected. Information on output, market, food safety and traceability needs to be shared so that farmers have a basis for making decisions, instead of each unit managing a separate system.

Gia Chinh