In the north-west of Vietnam, livestock farming represents an opportunity to redress Vietnam meat trade balance and to develop economic activities and farmer's livelihood. Major changes are affecting livestock farming in the region. With land use changes, grassland no longer meets the requirements for transforming livestock farming systems. The development of forage and fodder production, the establishment of barns, the development of fattening workshops, the increase in herd size, the concentration of livestock farming and the emergence of industrial livestock farms represent trends towards intensification and specialisation in livestock production. The aim of the study is to characterise the system of actors involved in the development of livestock farming and to understand the functions that they recognise in livestock farming systems for the sustainable development. The framework used for this study is an ontology describing the multiple functions of livestock systems in terms of production, environment, society and local development. Individual interviews were conducted with a range of stakeholders to identify their specific expectations and strategies for livestock development. For farmers, livestock activities are a way of improving their income, productivity and farm savings, strengthening links between farmers (helping each other with reproduction and shepherding animals) and supporting the organisation of social events (weddings, funerals, etc). For value chain actors, livestock farming must enable production in quantity and quality, at attractive prices. Local authorities expect livestock farming systems to improve employment and income and produce quality and environment friendly products.