A farmer in northern Vietnam has become the hottest DJ... for ducks! This 47-year-old's unconventional method of raising happy, healthy birds is all the cluck in the coop.

At his duck farm in Tu Lan Ward, Viet Yen Town, northern Bac Giang Province, amidst around a thousand ducks, 47-year-old Le Xuan Nam eagerly recounts the genesis of his livestock-raising technique, which incorporates music. 

Nam noticed a peculiar correlation between playing music and the demeanor of his livestock when he ventured into pig farming in 2000. 

At that time, Nam raised a modest herd of just 20 pigs near his house.

One day, in an attempt to alleviate his melancholy, he inadvertently left the radio on loudly at home. 

Over time, he observed a remarkable difference in the behavior of his pigs.

They were calmer, less prone to restlessness, and their meat exhibited superior taste compared to other herds.

Inspired by this observation, Nam decided to experiment with playing music for his chickens, known for their skittish nature. 

Astonishingly, the chickens appeared more docile and less inclined to flee when exposed to music, a stark departure from their usual flighty behavior. 

In 2020, Nam shifted his focus to raising ducks because he saw potential. 

“From the moment they are hatched until they are ready for sale, they are serenaded with a diverse array of musical genres, including ‘cheo’ [northern Vietnamese stage performance], ‘cai luong’ [southern Vietnamese folk music and stage performance], ‘quan ho’ [neighboring Bac Ninh Province’s folk music], and even modern dance beats, with the volume adjusted lower in the evenings,” Nam said.

Whenever the ducks hear lively music, they waddle out to the trough to enjoy rice bran.

Nam attributes the robust health, sleek plumage, and lean meat of his ducks to their exposure to music. 

Presently, he manages a sprawling farm spanning thousands of square meters, yielding over 30,000 ducks per batch. 

With an annual output ranging from three to five batches, equating to approximately 500-600 metric tons of ducks yearly, Nam has secured lucrative contracts with buyers who value the exceptional quality of his musically enriched ducks. 

These contracts primarily cater to restaurants and night eateries, with stable markets extending to cities and provinces such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Bac Ninh, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An.

Despite his success, Nam encountered challenges along the way. 

To sustain his livestock, he ventured to factories to procure leftover boiled rice, eventually establishing a sales point for surplus boiled rice that earned his facility the moniker of 'the leftover boiled rice market' in the region. 

This unexpected turn of events provided him with the financial means to expand his operations, acquiring additional land to widen his farm.

In 2023, Nam’s pioneering approach to raising ducks with music exposure earned him a consolation prize at the 10th Technical Creativity Contest of Bac Giang. 

Than Dang Phuong, deputy chairman of the Farmers’ Association of Viet Yen Town, lauds Nam’s innovative model for not only elevating his family’s financial status but also generating employment opportunities. 

Each worker earns an average income of VND7 million (US$283) per month, inclusive of accommodations, at Nam’s farm.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!