Livestock and livelihoods of smallholder cattle-owning households in Cambodia: the contribution of on-farm and off-farm activities to income and food security

The majority of smallholder farming households in Cambodia are rurally based and rely on agriculture to support their livelihoods. However, in recent years, growth in the agriculture sector has stagnated with farmers facing several challenges including declining prices for traditional crops and irregular rainfall patterns. This has led to a need for farmers to diversify income sources with livestock promoted as a more viable livelihood activity, particularly the raising of cattle and poultry. However, uncertain profitability of livestock activities is a common perception by smallholders, especially where animals have not been traditionally viewed as a primary income source. To address this, information is required which compares the income and expenses associated with livestock raising to other on-farm activities and off-farm sources. This study reports on a survey of livelihood survey of 17 male and 21 female representatives of 20 households owning cattle in Cambodia, comparing the associated income and expenses of the various livelihood activities in the 12-month period from January to December 2016. Combined total household income from both on-farm and off-farm sources ranged from USD875 to 17730 with an average of USD6779, representing 51% and 49% from on-farm and off-farm activities, respectively. Cattle raising was the most common source of on-farm income (85%), contributing USD1064 and representing 22% of total household income. General household expenses, such as food and transportation (including expenses associated with off-farm employment), represented the majority of total household expenses (79%). Gross profit calculations indicated higher values for pig raising (USD1841.79), cattle (USD950.80) and non-rice crops (USD884) whilst the highest gross margin value was recorded for cattle (89.33%) followed by vegetables (85.27%) and non-rice crops (83.08%). Whilst wet season and dry season rice returned a negative gross profit value of USD197.27 and USD90.60 on average per household, respectively, both were ranked as most important for household consumption, followed by poultry, providing the main source of energy (rice) and protein (chicken meat) and sustaining household food requirements. The study concludes that although smallholder cattle-owning households in Cambodia undertake a diverse range of on-farm activities, as cattle raising provides a superior income source due to higher returns and lower variable costs, it could be promoted as a preferred livelihood activity by agencies conducting rural extension activities. Although consideration of available labour and monetary funds to invest in cattle raising is required, it was observed that income from off-farm sources may prove beneficial in providing the additional monetary funds to support cattle-raising activities and assist in providing generally poor smallholder households with enhanced economic resilience.     

Dairy technology adoption in smallholder farms in “Dejen” district, Ethiopia

Factors influencing dairy technology adoption and impact on milk yield were studied in 240 smallholder farms in Dejen district, Ethiopia. The majority of the smallholders had more than 20 years of farming experience and were living at more than 10 km distance from market or trading centers (67% and 54% in that order). The dairy technologies studied included the use of crossbred animals, improved feed technologies and improved management practices. Application of acaricides, deworming, vaccination, heat-detection and haymaking had wide application (more than 80% adoption levels) while urea straw treatment, silage making, rotational grazing and fodder beet development were the least practiced ones. Only 20 percent of the cows were crossbred animals. It has been found that higher level of technology adoption is associated with better milk yield regardless of the breed of cattle (local or crossbred) owned by the farmers. Milk yields in local breeds increased by 0.07 times when the number of technologies increased by one unit. In crossbred cows, this rate of increase was five fold higher (0.38 times for one unit increase). Correlation coefficients between and within farm household characteristics and technologies adoption were, generally, significant. Male-headed households adopted significantly higher number of technologies than female-headed households (P?<?0.001). Technology adoption rates increased significantly with increased education level and family size and decreasing distance from market or trade centers (P?<?0.01). The level of technology adoption by smallholder farmers is still unsatisfactory and is highly dependent on gender, family size and level of education of smallholder farmers and location of farms.     

肉牛短期育肥饲养管理技术

文章从牛舍建设、饲草饲料、肥牛选购、育肥季节、育肥技术等几个方面介绍了在肉牛短期育肥过程中应考虑和解决好的问题,以便给管理技术提供参考。     

世行项目户不同投资模型下的收益状况分析

通过对36户不同规模的世行项目户2008年种植业、养殖业经营状况、家庭收入、肉牛育肥情况的调查分析,3～19头小型育肥户主要以饲养繁殖母牛和育肥犊牛为主,饲养管理相对粗放,生产周期较长,虽然效益不高,但抵御市场风险的能力较强,20～49头中型和50～150头大型户主要靠外购架子牛育肥,投入大,饲养管理规范,育肥期短,周转快,效益相对高,但容易受市场波动的影响.在目前农户耕地和种植结构不变的情况下,依靠饲养母牛自繁自育,较为适宜的饲养规模应在10头左右.     

藏北山羊育肥关键技术

以高效育肥和提高饲草料利用率为核心目标,在饲草料短缺的藏北牧区采用全进全出的方式开展藏北山羊短期育肥。缓解应激后立即驱虫、健胃,通过采取公羊免疫去势、母羊卵巢摘除、圈舍保暖、平衡草料搭配、饮用温水＋豆浆、添加复合营养素、日常饲喂少喂勤添等科学的饲养管理措施,最终达到藏北山羊高效育肥效果。     

浅论优质牧草在肉牛饲养中的利用

针对我国肉牛饲养在饲料利用中的误区,结合肉牛的消化及代谢特点,分析了牧草的鲜喂、青贮、干草饲喂以及综合利用4种不同的利用方式及其营养特点,指出优质牧草用于肉牛饲养能充分发挥牧草的优良特性,而且符合我国畜牧业发展要求,值得广泛推广.     

Feed inventory and smallholder farmers’ perceived causes of feed shortage for dairy cattle in Gisagara District, Rwanda

A survey was conducted to indentify dairy cattle feed resources and smallholder farmers' perceived causes of feed shortage in the central and southern plateaus of Gisagara District, Rwanda. Data were obtained by interviewing 120 smallholder milk producers using structured questionnaires and through direct observations made during transect walks. In all the surveyed areas, rangelands (mean rank?=?1.12), crop residues (1.21), improved grasses (2.34), browse (3.23) and herbaceous (4.84) legumes were ranked as the main feed resources. Pennisetum purpureum (95% of the respondents), Leucaena diversifolia (60%) and Calliandra calothyrsus (40%) were the most cultivated fodders in all the plateaus. The dominant crop residue was Zea mays stover (65% of the farmers) in the surveyed areas. In both plateaus, land scarcity was ranked (mean rank?=?1.45) as the most important cause of feed shortage followed by inadequacy of forage planting material (2.72) and lack of knowledge on forage production and utilisation (3.02). To ensure sustainable viability of smallholder dairying in densely populated highlands, screening and evaluation of high-yielding and easily propagated pastures, incorporation of forages into cropping systems, value addition of low quality roughages and training farmers on forage production and utilisation should be prioritised.     

不同肉牛育肥的牛肉产品生产对饲料粮消耗比较分析

在对繁殖母牛、哺乳犊牛和架子牛进行饲养试验及调查的基础上,结合所进行的架子牛育肥试验和犊牛直线育肥试验,参考肉牛饲养标准和已发表的肉牛育肥试验数据,并根据目前我国牛肉产品提供状况和肉用牛育肥的饲料资源情况,分别比较不同肉牛育肥牛肉产品生产所需要的粮食。结果表明,为获得等同重量的肉牛产品,直线育肥技术比后期集中育肥要消耗较少的粮食,而高档牛肉生产（高端肉产品生产）需要消耗更多的饲料粮。     

育肥牛饲养管理技术

搞好育肥牛的饲养及管理是每个肉牛养殖场(户)的关键所在,必须要加以高度重视。     

Energy intake and requirement of dairy cows during the whole year

It is argued that in view of the many new methods in dairy farming an economic model of the dairy farm should be available to improve advisory work. Some quantitative data concerning the dairy cow needed for such a model are given. They deal with a net energy feeding value of grass, hay, silage, artificially dried grass and concentrates estimated with a feed evaluation system based on results obtained with lactating cows. Also data on the requirements for net energy and for long forage dry matter are given, again obtained with such cows. Finally information is given on voluntary intake of forage dry matter at pasture, from fresh grass fed indoors, from various preserved forages including forage pellets, as influenced by milk yield and condition of the cow and by kind of forage and level of concentrates fed. Special attention has been paid to the precision of the information. These data are used to predict both the maximal and minimal amounts of long forage which can be fed in the stall period without loss of production, and the additional quantities of concentrates needed. For the grazing cow the problem of the adjustment of voluntary intake of grass to milk yield and amount of concentrates fed is studied. It is concluded that the information is sufficient to develop an economic model of a dairy farm. For its development grassland research should supply data on pasture yield in terms of digestible organic matter when the forage is fed to sheep at the maintenance level, and the economists should add data on costs of food and labour.     

嘉峪关市肉牛产业发展的对策建议

嘉峪关市位于甘肃省西端,是一座工业旅游城市,城镇化率94.43%。近年来,嘉峪关市坚持用工业化思维谋划现代农业,紧紧围绕草食畜牧业发展,积极争取燕麦草种植基地建设、粮改饲工程等项目,培育了一批肉牛养殖及育肥示范户,为调整畜牧产业结构、提升农产品市场竞争力做出了极大贡献。实际生产中还存在着一些不容忽视的问题,通过调查研究,提出了相应的对策建议。     

草地植物添加剂对肉牛生长性能的影响

通过对草地植物添加剂的最佳配方、最适量以及肉牛的最佳育肥方式对肉牛日增重、屠宰率、净肉率以及肉品质和风味的影响进行研究,旨在分析草地植物添加剂对肉牛生长性能的影响。结果表明,草地植物添加剂能促进肉牛的快速生长,提高肉牛的日增重,其中对于犊牛(C)、架子牛(S)和基础母牛(B)日增重效果最明显的分别是草地植物添加剂C3(44%松针+24%艾叶+12%黄芪+8%微量元素)(P0.01)、S3(48%松针+16%艾叶+8%大蒜+10%黄芪+18%微量元素)(P0.01)和B3(36%松针+14%艾叶+10%大蒜+12%黄芪+28%微量元素)(P0.01);草地植物添加剂的最适量的筛选试验表明,各年龄段的肉牛的草地植物添加剂的添加量占日粮的3.5%育肥效果最明显(P0.01);在北方冷季最佳的育肥方式为舍饲育肥。综上,在北方的寒冷季节养殖肉牛以占日粮3.5%的第3类(C3、S3、B3)草地植物添加剂配合舍饲增肥效果最明显。     

Comparison of alternative beef production systems based on forage finishing or grain-forage diets with or without growth promotants: 1. Feedlot performance, carcass quality, and production costs

Forty Angus-cross steers were used to evaluate 5 beef cattle management regimens for their effect on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and cost of production. A 98-d growing phase was incorporated using grass silage with or without growth promotants (trenbolone acetate + estradiol implants, and monensin in the feed) or soybean meal. Dietary treatments in the finishing phase were developed, with or without addition of the same growth promotants, based on exclusive feeding of forages with minimal supplementation or the feeding of barley-based diets. Overall, ADG for animals treated with growth promotants or fed supplemented diets (soybean meal and barley) was increased (P < 0.01) by 25 and 21%, respectively, compared with steers reared on grass silage alone and not treated with growth promotants. Except for HCW (P < 0.01), the use of growth promotants did not affect carcass measurements. Increasing the proportion of barley in the diet of steers finished on forage produced a heavier HCW (P < 0.01) and a greater (P < 0.01) quality grade. Because of their lower HCW and quality grade, cattle targeted to a forage-fed, nonimplanted beef market would need to garner a 16% premium to be economically competitive with cattle finished conventionally.     

异地育肥肉牛的饲养管理技术

肉牛“异地育肥”已成为我国肉牛生产的一种主要模式。购入架子牛后,首先应注意减少运输应激的影响,做好过渡期的饲养管理,按体重大小、体质强弱、采食饲料快慢进行分群合栏。对于体重小于200kg的小架子牛来讲,饲养的重点是促进骨骼、内脏、肌肉的生长,使其消化器官得到锻炼,要求日粮提供优质蛋白质饲料,并供给适量的钙、磷、矿物质、维生素;体重为200~250kg的牛源,要求日粮的蛋白质含量高,可以提供充裕的粗饲料以促进其瘤胃发育;250~300kg体重阶段的架子牛,日粮以粗料为主,以精料为辅;体重达350kg的大架子牛其日粮的营养需要是前期蛋白质含量应高一些、后期能量水平要高些。牛的出栏体重越大,饲料利用率就越低,因此应根据肉牛育肥目的,适当育肥,适时出栏。     

提取精油后废弃薰衣草秸秆育肥牛试验效果分析

为探索废弃薰衣草秸秆的高效开发利用技术,将提取精油后产生的薰衣草秸秆制作成薰衣草秸秆青贮．开展薰衣草秸秆青贮与常规饲草料的育肥肉牛效果对比试验。选用新疆褐牛公牛40头,随机分为试验组和对照组．每组20头牛。试验组粗饲料为薰衣草秸秆青贮,对照组粗饲料为玉米秸秆青贮,饲喂量均为8～12kg／a,两组精饲料配方相同。预饲期10d,正式育肥期共210d。记录正式育肥期始末实验牛只的体重,计算试验期增重和平均日增重。结果表明,薰衣草秸秆青贮育肥牛与常规玉米秸秆育肥牛在增重指标上差异不显著（P〉0．05）,育肥期内薰衣草秸秆青贮育肥牛日增重为（0．98±0．10）kg,玉米秸秆育肥牛日增重为（0．99±0．11）kg。薰衣草秸秆与常规饲草料育肥肉牛的效果相似,表明薰衣草秸秆青贮能够作为粗饲料应用于肉牛养殖。     

山地红壤冬季牧草引种与鸡脚草喂鹅试验研究

在山地红壤引种冬季牧草鸡脚草、宽叶型一年生黑麦草、牛尾草、白三叶，并利用鸡脚草进行喂鹅试验。引种观测表明几种牧草均适应在福州山区种植，鸡脚草、宽叶型一年生黑麦草、白三叶对鹅适口性很好。鸡脚草喂鹅试验结果表明，经40d饲养，仔鹅平均日增重达43．0g，比饲喂当地野生杂草的对照组有明显的提高，饲料报酬比对照组提高28．6％，在屠体品质方面，也有改善和提高的趋势。     

Fermentation of six different forages in the semi-continuous fermentation technique Caesitec

The aim of the present study was to compare carbohydrate degradation of forages which store carbohydrates either predominantly as fructan or starch, in horses’ hindgut. The effects of an abrupt change from hay‐based feeding to green fodder‐based feeding on the caecal flora were tested with the in vitro hindgut simulation technique ‘Caesitec’. Six trials with different forages (English ryegrass, tall fescue, grass mixture‐horses, grass mixture‐cows, lucerne, white clover) were conducted. During a 4‐day stabilisation period, samples were taken once a day before loading the fermenters with hay. After diet‐change to forage‐based feeding, samples were taken four times a day. Ammonia and pH‐value were measured before and 1, 2 and 6 h after loading the ‘Caesitec’. Gas formation was measured daily. Bacterial numbers, lactate and short chain fatty acids were detected at four time‐points of each trial. The grass mixtures contained the highest amounts of fructan. The pH‐values were in the physiological range from pH 6 up to 7 (6.58–6.83) by feeding all forages. Gas formation, anaerobic and aerobic bacterial numbers increased after diet change from hay to any forage. The maximum amount of fructan (3.75 g/kg) in swiss pasture did not cause a permanent pathological change in the hindgut‐flora.     

Relationships between nutritive quality and fiber components of cool season and warm season forages: a retrospective study

Feeding trials were conducted with 428 forages in three forage classes (C3 grasses, legumes, C4 grasses) fed ad libitum to sheep and with 170 forages fed to cattle over a 20-yr period. Of this total, 153 forages were fed concurrently to sheep and cattle. Where the same forages were fed, mean dry matter digestibility (DMD) and dry matter intake (DMI) were lower (P less than .01) for sheep than for cattle, with significant effects of forage class. With the main population of forages, the regression of DMI on DMD was positive and curvilinear (P less than .01) for sheep, with no effect of forage class, and positive and linear (P less than .0001) for cattle, with a significant effect of class. For all forages, correlations between DMI and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration were -.57 for sheep and -.41 for cattle; regressions differed (P less than .05) with class and animal species. Correlations of DMD with NDF and acid detergent fiber (ADF) concentrations were -.45 and -.59 (P less than .01), respectively, for sheep, and -.32 and -.39 (P less than .01) for cattle; again, regressions differed significantly with class and animal species. Within forage class, regressions of DMD and DMI on fiber components generally were linear. Intake of NDF (NDFI) was related to NDF percentage for all forages by a quadratic regression, with significant differences due to animal species and forage class. Results indicate that relationships between DMD, DMI and fiber fractions differ between forage classes and animal species, that C4 grasses are consumed at levels higher than would be expected from their DMD and fiber concentrations and that ruminants increase NDFI in response to higher NDF concentrations in the forage.     

康乐县肉牛育肥技术规程

肉牛育肥主要指专用肉牛品种一次性肥育,是肉牛养殖的核心,主要决定于品种、牛舍建设、饲料、饲养管理等关键环节,本文从肉牛品种的选择、标准化牛舍的建设、饲料配方的组成、饲养管理等方面详细总结了西北地区肉牛育肥的成功技术,以供同行参考。