Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Forage growing as an incentive to improve smallholder beef production in Cambodia

R. D. Bush A D , J. R. Young A , S. Suon B , M. S. Ngim C and P. A. Windsor A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia.

B Department of Animal Health and Production, Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

C Royal Academy of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

D Corresponding author. Email: russell.bush@sydney.edu.au

Animal Production Science 54(10) 1620-1624 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN14136
Submitted: 3 March 2014  Accepted: 17 June 2014   Published: 19 August 2014

Abstract

A major challenge for large ruminant improvement projects in developing countries is smallholder farmer engagement that promotes the value of knowledge in informed decision making. Most large ruminant smallholder farmers in Cambodia are considered to be livestock keepers and will become livestock producers only if they recognise the production and financial benefits from improved health and management practices. The benefits of growing and feeding five introduced forage species was investigated as a potential entry point for smallholder farmer engagement in southern Cambodia. The mean chemical composition, digestibility and estimated metabolisable energy (ME; MJ/kg DM) of introduced forages at 30 days after first harvest were comparable to published values. An initial establishment of 52 fodder plots covering 2.6 ha in 2008 expanded to 1306 plots covering 45 ha, including non-project farmers from surrounding areas. The establishment of forage plots in high-intervention project villages provided an improvement in average daily liveweight gain of cattle and saved farmers up to 2 h labour per day. This strategy provided a platform for increased uptake and adoption of livestock health and production interventions.

Additional keywords: buffalo, cattle, nutrition, time saving, weight gain.


References

AOAC (1984) ‘Official methods of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Methods 3.101, 3.102–3.107, 25.154, and 25.158.’ (Association of Official Analytical Chemists: Arlington, VA)

Cook BG, Pengelly BC, Brown SD, Donnelly JL, Eagles DA, Franco MA, Hanson J, Mullen BF, Partridge IJ, Peters M, Schultze-Kraft R (2005) Tropical forages: an interactive selection tool. A joint project of CSIRO, DPI&F(Qld), CIAT and ILRI, Brisbane, Australia. Available at http://www.tropicalforages.info/key/Forages/Media/Html/index.htm [Accessed February 2014]

FAO (2009) Feedipedia – Animal feed resources information system. A joint project of the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), Association Française de Zootechnie (AFZ) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Available at http://www.feedipedia.org [Accessed February 2014]

Gohl B (1981) Tropical feeds: feed information summaries and nutritive values. Issue 12 of FAO animal production and health series, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.

Heffernan C (2004). Livestock and the Poor: Issues in poverty-focused livestock development. In ‘Responding to the livestock revolution: the role of globalisation and implications for poverty alleviation’. Chapter 15. (Eds E Owen, T Smith, MA Steele, S Anderson, AJ Duncan, M Herrero, JD Leaver, CK Reynolds, JI Richards, JC Ku-Vera) Publication 33. (British Society of Animal Science)

Kanter RM (2001) On track to tomorrow: getting change rolling. In ‘Evolve!: succeeding in the digital culture of tomorrow’. Chapter 8. pp. 229–253. (Harvard Business School Press: Boston, MA)

Maxwell TW, You S, Boratana U, Leakhna P, Reid J (2012) The social and other effects of a cattle/crop innovation in Cambodia. Agricultural Systems 107, 83–91.
The social and other effects of a cattle/crop innovation in Cambodia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Millar J, Phoutakhoun V (2008) Livestock development and poverty alleviation: revolution or evolution for upland livelihood in Lao PDR. International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability 6, 89–102.
Livestock development and poverty alleviation: revolution or evolution for upland livelihood in Lao PDR.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Nampanya S, Suon S, Rast L, Windsor PA (2012) Improvement in smallholder farmer knowledge of cattle production, health and biosecurity in southern Cambodia between 2008 and 2010. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 59, 117–127.
Improvement in smallholder farmer knowledge of cattle production, health and biosecurity in southern Cambodia between 2008 and 2010.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC383osFajsA%3D%3D&md5=5ba049953bbd1dffb595554e9ef9e39dCAS | 21791034PubMed |

Nour AM (2003) Rice straw and rice hulls in feeding ruminants in Egypt. Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

NSW Agriculture (1983) Summary of feed composition. Nutrition and Feeds Evaluation Unit, Sydney.

Oddy VH, Robards GE, Low SG (1983) Prediction of in vivo digestibility of ruminant feeds from fibre and nitrogen content. In ‘Proceedings of the 2nd international conference of international network of feeds information centres’. pp. 395–398.

Pen M, Savage D, Stur W, Sophal L, Seng M (2010) Cattle feeding and management practices of small-holder farmers in Kampong Cham province, Cambodia. International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development 1, 132–138.

Thomas D, Zerbini E, Parthasarthy RP, Vaidyanathan A (2002) Increasing animal productivity on small mixed farms in South Asia: a systems perspective. Agricultural Systems 71, 41–57.
Increasing animal productivity on small mixed farms in South Asia: a systems perspective.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

United Nations in Cambodia (2011) UN Cambodia 2011 flood situation report #8. Available at: http://www.un.org.kh/index.php/emergency-a-pandemic/2011-floods/521-un-situation-report-8 [Accessed February 2014]

Van Soest PJ, Robertson JB (1985) ‘A laboratory manual for animal science.’ (Cornell University: Ithaca, NY)

VSN International (2010) ‘Genstat.’ 13th edn. (VSN International: Hemel Hempstead, UK)

Whitbread AM, Robertson MJ, Carberry PS, Dimes JP (2010) How farming systems simulation can aid the development of more sustainable smallholder farming systems in southern Africa. European Journal of Agronomy 32, 51–58.
How farming systems simulation can aid the development of more sustainable smallholder farming systems in southern Africa.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Young JR, Evans-Kocinski S, Bush RD, Windsor PA (2013a) Improving smallholder farmer biosecurity in the Mekong region through change management. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases
Improving smallholder farmer biosecurity in the Mekong region through change management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24750574PubMed | in press.

Young JR, Rast L, Soun S, Bush RD, Windsor PA (2013b) The impact of best practice health and husbandry interventions on smallholder cattle productivity in southern Cambodia. Animal Production Science
The impact of best practice health and husbandry interventions on smallholder cattle productivity in southern Cambodia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Young JR, O’Reilly RA, Ashley K, Suon S, Leoung VI, Windsor PA, Bush RD (2014) Impacts on rural livelihoods in Cambodia following adoption of best practice health and husbandry interventions by smallholder cattle farmers. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 61, 1–14.