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The Lao People's Democratic Republic (the Lao PDR) is a
landlocked country with a total area of 236,800 km2.
Much of this is forested and mountainous, and is divided into
upland and highland areas. The country is divided into sixteen
provinces, one municipality and one special region. With a
population of about 5.5 million in 2005 according to FAO (2005),
the Lao PDR is the second least populated country in the
Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, with the
lowest population density.
Most of the Lao population are farmers who cultivate rice
integrated with livestock production and fisheries. Livestock
production is an important component of smallholder farms in the
Lao PDR, with sales of livestock accounting for more than 50% of
cash income in many upland and highland areas. Over 95% of all
livestock is produced by smallholders (ILRI, 2002). Livestock is
found at most farms in the Lao PDR, with 89% of all farm households
raising one or more livestock types. Buffalo is one species of
livestock which is important for smallholder farms. The buffalo
density is evenly distributed throughout the country. Buffaloes are
generally associated with lowland rice production, because of the
need for draft power, but many upland villages breed buffaloes to
sell them in the lowlands. The density of buffalo is lower in the
northern region than in the central and southern regions. The
number of buffalo is highest in the central region; Savannakhet
Province accounts for 20% of the buffalo population. Other
provinces with high numbers of buffalo are Champassak Province in
the southern region, and Vientiane Province in the central region.
In 2003, the buffalo population was approximately 1.1 million head
in Laos (FAO, 2005).
In Lao PDR farmers raise buffalo predominantly by traditional
methods based on low-input, low-output production systems. The
buffaloes are mainly indigenous and kept mostly free ranging;
grazing in the natural grasslands, in paddy fields after harvest,
or on fallow land in the forest. Feed is limited in the dry season
and planting season. Diseases and parasites are the main
constraints to livestock production. Vongsamphanh (2003) presented
the potential use of local feed resources for ruminants in Laos.
Farmers in irrigated and rain-fed areas face problems when keeping
livestock in the cropping zones, because grazing land is less
available, and more problems occur during the dry season when
grasses and fodder tree species are limited. Therefore, rice straw
is a common feed in ruminant diets. Normally, farmers collect rice
straw and store it for feeding animals in the dry season and during
rice harvesting time, although rice straw is a poor quality
roughage for ruminants (Leng, 1990).
Cassava is an important feed resource, which is available in
several areas. Cassava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz) is a
perennial crop, native to tropical and sub-tropical countries. Its
starchy roots are one of the most important sources of food energy
in many rural areas. The crop is frequently identified as a famine
reserve, due to its tolerance to drought, and infertile soils and
its ability to recover from diseases and pests. Cassava is
currently the third most important crop in Laos, after rice and
maize. It is widely grown throughout the country by upland farmers,
but in small areas using local varieties, and with low inputs. The
roots are used mainly for human consumption and for feeding
livestock. The high protein content and nutritive value of cassava
leaves are well documented. Cassava leaf yields amount to as much
as 4.6 tonnes dry matter per ha, and it can be produced as a
by-product during root harvesting (Ravindran and Rajaguru, 1988).
The use of cassava foliage, especially cassava hay, has great
potential to improve livestock production, because it is a source
of by-pass protein for ruminants. Nevertheless, factors that affect
the yield and quality of cassava foliage have to be researched to
find the most appropriate practices to obtain higher quality and
quantity of cassava foliage.
Several studies have been conducted to find the most suitable
utilization of oil, particularly when supplemented to large
ruminants. As stated by Wanapat et al. (2005), diets
containing cassava chips and cassava hay have been found to be low
in energy density. Hence, it could be possible to enhance energy
density by other sources such as oil or fat, especially coconut
oil.
To compare different harvesting times of cassava foliage for
cassava hay making and effects on chemical
composition.
To study the effect of cassava hay and coconut oil
supplementation on rumen ecology, feed intake and digestibility in
swamp buffaloes.
FAO 2005 Livestock Sector Brief. Laos People's Democratic
Repoublic. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation
(FAO). Livestock Information, Sector Analysis and Policy Branch
(AGAL).
ILRI 2002 Review of the Livestock Sector in the Lao
People's Democratic Republic International Livestock Research
Institute, DAPO 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines. http://www.ilri.org
Leng R A 1990Factors affecting the utilization of 'poor
quality' forages by ruminants particularly under tropical
conditions. Nutrition. Research Reviews. 3, 277-303.
Ravindran V and Rajaguru A S B 1988 Effect of system pruning on cassava root yield and leaf growth. Sri Lankan Journal of Agriculture Science 25(2): 32-37.
Vongsamphanh P 2003 Potential use of local feed
resources for ruminants in Lao, PDR. Livestock Research Center,
National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute, Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry, Vientiane, Lao PDR.
Wanapat M, Petlum A and Chanthai S 2005 Effects of
levels of urea and coconut oil on rumen ecology, milk yield and
composition in lactating dairy cows fed on urea-treated rice straw.
Workshop-seminar, MEKARN-CTU. http://www.mekarn.org.kh/proctu/indexctu.htm.