This study was carried out at the National Institute of Animal Husbandry, Hanoi, Vietnam, and at Catque village, Hoaiduc District, Hatay Province, North Vietnam, during 2002, with a grant from the Swedish International Development Authority (Sida/SAREC) and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Animal Nutrition and Management. I am very grateful to their support of this study.
I would like to thank the National Institute of Animal Husbandry, Hanoi, Vietnam for allowing me two years study leave and helping me to carry out the studies
I would like to express my cordial and faithful gratitude to Dr. Brian Ogle, my first supervisor, the Director of the course, and Professor Le Viet Ly, the second supervisor, and the regional coordinator of the SAREC program, for their kind, support, professional guidance, and valuable advice in many different ways.
I would also like to thank Dr. Inger Ledin, the head of the Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, for her scientific guidance and warm heart during the MSc course.
My sincere thanks to all Professors, Doctors and Lecturers who provided me with useful knowledge during the course.
My sincere thanks to Dr. Luu Trong Hieu, the regional coordinator of the SAREC program, and Dr. Nguyen Dang Vang, the Director of the National Institute of Animal Husbandry, Hanoi, Vietnam for their help and encouragement.
I would like to thank the Department of Animal Nutrition, Department of Feed Analysis and Livestock Feed Research and Trial Station, National Institute of Animal Husbandry, Hanoi, Vietnam for facilitating and helping me to carried out this study.
Special thanks to the farmers in Cat que village, Hoai duc district, Hatay province for their cooperation and allowing me to conduct this research, and to my colleagues Dr. Viet, Mrs. Len, Mr. Kien and Mr. Linh for their help in carrying out this study.
Many thanks to my classmates in the MSc course for their contributions, suggestions and friendship during the course.
Lastly my warm heart-felt gratitude is given to my parents, my husband Le Huu Hoang and my son Le Hoang Hung for their love, patience and support.