Knowns and unknowns of cattle grazing in oil palm plantations. A review

Bremer, Jori A.; Bruyn, Lisa Lobry de; Smith, Robert Geoffrey Beaumount; Cowley, Frances

doi:10.1007/s13593-021-00723-x

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 35 publications

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“…Initially, cattle were introduced into oil palm plantations to control understorey weeds but were later farmed systematically to produce beef commercially (Azizol & Norlizan, 2004; Chen, 1990; Kabul, 2008). Many plantation managers, however, are reluctant to implement oil palm systems with integrated cattle browsing because of increased staff workload, cost of hiring new staff and purchasing new devices for cattle husbandry, the potential for soil compaction or damage to drainage systems, concern over livestock theft and security issue, and concern to focus on the core plantation business (Bremer, de Bruyn, Smith, & Cowley, 2022; Wong, 1998; Zamri‐Saad & Azhar, 2015). Also, both in tropical pasture grazing systems and OPSC systems, there is a general lack of data and analytical tools to guide managers on basic questions like the stocking rate of cattle in plantations of various ages to provide appropriate feed allocation for cattle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feed profile analysis of oil palm‐integrated beef cattle farming systems by metabolic energy budgeting and implications for beef production and pastoral system design

et al. 2023

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Background: Oil palm is a tropical crop with worldwide plantings approaching 20 million ha and large areas in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The plantations are readily managed as silvopastoral systems incorporating cattle grazing (Oil Palm Silvopastoral System for Cattle, OPSC) but there is a need for analytical tools and data to understand system herbage supply and feed conversion efficiency (FCE). Methods: Metabolic energy budgeting was used to estimate herbage harvested by cattle in three OPSC subsystems, 9 and 12 years after oil palm establishment, and FCE of the subsystems was determined. Understorey herbage was also analysed for nutritive value, botanical composition and herbage accumulation within one grazing-regrowth cycle. Results: The herbage-harvested estimate was 2.0−2.4 t dry matter (DM) ha −1 year −1 for 9 year old subsystems and 1.4−1.7 t DM ha −1 year −1 for a 12 year old subsystem. Herbage metabolisable energy (ME) was 8.3−8.5 MJ kg −1 DM and crude protein (CP) was 15%−16% DM. FCE values for subsystems ranged from 32 to 94 kg DM kg −1 liveweight-gain. Conclusions: Herbage DM yield is declining, while herbage ME is marginal but CP is adequate. FCE is suboptimal but can be optimised by defining the trajectory of declining herbage production with canopy closure as plantations age and matching stocking rate to herbage supply using a comparativestocking-rate-type statistic. K E Y W O R D Sbeef cattle production, farm feed profile, feed conversion efficiency (FCE), metabolic energy budgeting (MEB), Oil Palm Silvopastoral Systems (OPS)

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Feed profile analysis of oil palm‐integrated beef cattle farming systems by metabolic energy budgeting and implications for beef production and pastoral system design

et al. 2023

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Prospects and problems: considerations for smallholder cattle grazing in oil palm plantations in South Kalimantan, Indonesia

et al. 2022

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Current Indonesian beef production only meets 45% of local demand. Increasing local beef production through integration of cattle production in pre-existing oil palm plantations is a possible solution to meeting this shortfall. The oil palm understorey provides feed, alleviating the need to convert additional land to agriculture. Smallholders are important contributors to both Indonesian cattle and palm oil production. This case study research seeks to understand key aspects of smallholder cattle management in palm oil production areas, to highlight opportunities and barriers to cattle integration. Thirty-nine smallholder cattle farmers from four villages in South Kalimantan were individually interviewed. The lack of alternative feed sources was the major driver towards the adoption of cattle production using oil palm understorey as feed. Cattle grazing was uncontrolled due to labour shortages and occurred in individually owned and ‘plasma’ plantations, with cattle penned at night where possible to avoid theft. Arrangements on land access and use between stakeholders are needed for systematic cattle grazing and to control cattle theft.

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Multi-species rotational grazing of small ruminants regenerates undergrowth vegetation while controlling weeds in the oil palm silvopastoral system

Tohiran,

Nobilly,

Zulkifli

et al. 2023

Agricultural Systems

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Knowns and unknowns of cattle grazing in oil palm plantations. A review

Cited by 7 publications

References 35 publications

Feed profile analysis of oil palm‐integrated beef cattle farming systems by metabolic energy budgeting and implications for beef production and pastoral system design

Feed profile analysis of oil palm‐integrated beef cattle farming systems by metabolic energy budgeting and implications for beef production and pastoral system design

Prospects and problems: considerations for smallholder cattle grazing in oil palm plantations in South Kalimantan, Indonesia

Multi-species rotational grazing of small ruminants regenerates undergrowth vegetation while controlling weeds in the oil palm silvopastoral system

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