This project sought ways to close the increasing shortfall in Vietnam's supply of beef from national sources by raising productivity of beef farming, looking for outcomes that increase profitability rather than just measuring productivity. Six key areas were studied: marketing systems, profitable calf management, beef production within intensive farming systems, nutrition, genetics and breeding, and animal and human health.

Project reviewers found that the concept of studying the beef industry in Vietnam in six relatively unrelated subprojects, united by a commitment to profitability, was over-ambitious for a three-year program. By the end of the project none of the components had reached a stage where the profitability of the technologies and concepts could be easily assessed. In addition there were few synergies between the component sub-projects, which operated relatively independently of one another so that the proposed interdisciplinary approach was not strongly in evidence. Despite these shortfalls relative to the objectives of the project, there were many positive results that had excellent social, technical and capacity-building outcomes.

Researchers described and undertook a preliminary analysis of beef marketing in Vietnam, showing that its market behaves quite differently from that in many other countries (including some other Asian countries), and this has important ramifications for future research at all levels of the beef supply chain. They also described and monitored the agronomic and cultural characteristics of a wide range of leguminous tree species of potential benefit in Vietnam.

The project team found positive evidence that by-products, particularly molasses, can cheapen diets for cattle without compromising growth rate and efficiency. There was also evidence that crossbreeding with exotic species could increase the size and growth performance of the calves produced. The team also assisted the veterinary services in Vietnam to develop for the first time its capacity to test for most of the important pathogenic viruses of cattle and buffalos.