Forages improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers with beef cattle in South Central Coastal Vietnam

Authors

  • Nguyen Xuan Ba Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue, Vietnam.
  • Peter A. Lane Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
  • David Parsons Corfield Consultants, Wulguru, Qld, Australia.
  • Nguyen Huu Van Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue, Vietnam.
  • Ho Le Phi Khanh Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, Hue, Vietnam.
  • Jeff P. Corfield Corfield Consultants, Wulguru, Qld, Australia.
  • Duong Tri Tuan Research and Development Centre for Animal Husbandry, Qui Nhon, Binh Dinh, Vietnam.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(1)225-229

Abstract

In South Central Coastal Vietnam, on-farm research and farmer experience demonstrated the benefits of growing improved forages as a means of improving the year-round quantity and quality of feed available for smallholder beef cattle production. In Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Ninh Thuan provinces, 5 new forage species (Panicum maximum cv. TD58, Brachiaria hybrid cv. Mulato II, Pennisetum purpureum cv. VA06, Paspalum atratum cv. Terenos and Stylosanthes guianensis cv. CIAT 184) were evaluated for yield and crude protein concentration. There was no consistent yield difference between locations for the forage grasses, but in Binh Dinh province P. maximum TD58 produced the highest yield. The grasses were comparable in crude protein concentration. Stylo CIAT 184 produced much less forage than the grasses but had a much higher crude protein concentration. All species have potential use, depending on the circumstances and site factors such as fertility, drainage and availability of irrigation. This work was expanded to a total of 45 farmers to gain feedback on farmer experience in growing different forages. The percentage of farmers who “liked” the introduced forages was Mulato II, 92%; TD58, 85%; VA06, 82%; Paspalum, 46%; and Stylo, 36%. By far the most important early socio-economic impact of developing perennial forage plots close to households was an average 50% reduction in the amount of labor and time that farmers spend supplying cut-and-carry forage to their animals. In addition, the growing of forages can meaningfully reduce the grazing pressure on common grazing lands, thereby lowering the potential for environmental degradation.

How to Cite

Xuan Ba, N., Lane, P. A., Parsons, D., Huu Van, N., Phi Khanh, H. L., Corfield, J. P., & Tri Tuan, D. (2013). Forages improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers with beef cattle in South Central Coastal Vietnam. Tropical Grasslands-Forrajes Tropicales, 1(2), 225–229. https://doi.org/10.17138/tgft(1)225-229

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IGC 2013 Oral Presentation Papers