Opportunities to improve pasture for ruminants during the dry and the early wet season | |
| Author | Leelawardena, Sudharma Hememali |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.AE-88-36 |
| Subject(s) | Ruminants Pastures |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | Two experiments were conducted over a period of eight months in order to find a solution to t he problem of scarcity of feed for t he buffalo component in the livestock sub - system at the Crop/ Livestock / Fish Integra ted Farming System in Asian Institute of Technology , Bangkok , Thailand . The first experiment studied t h e effect of five rates of Phosphorous fertilizer (Triple Super Phosphate ) namely 0,20,40, 60 & 80 Kg P/Ha on t h e establishment of Guinea / Style (Panicum maximum I Stylosanthus hamata cv.verano ) mixed s ward in order to provide feed during the times of scarcity , the dry and the early wet season. The second experiment studied the effect of two sources of Nitrogen fertilizers, Urea and Calcium Ammonium Nitrate under five rates of N namely 0, 100, 200, 300 , 400 Kg N/Ha in order to supply the wet season feed from existing Paragrass (Brachiaria mutica ) . Phosphorous (P ) fertilizer increase d the Dry Matter Yield ( DMY) and Phosphorous concentration in Guinea grass but it was still inadequate to meet the demand of the buffalo component, during the dry and the early wet season. 40 kg PIha was found as the optimal level of P for grass/legume mixed pasture. When grown with grass the legume content was only 6% at the optimal l e v e l of P application. Application of Nitrogen to Paragrass significantly increase t h e dry matter yield b u t variability of rainfall during the experimental period led to fluctuations in the yield. Of the two sources tested CAN showed better Nitrogen recovery than Urea upto 300 Kg N/ha . But the yield differences were not of, significant proportions. It was concluded that by fertilizing the 0 .58 ha of Paragrass with Nitrogen and growing the grass/ legume mixed pasture with Phosphorous in the one hectare of rice area during off season that it is possible to meet the dry matter requirement and Digestible Crude Protein requirement of the buffaloes during the early wet season, together with other crop residues available in the farm. |
| Year | 1988 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Other Field of Studies (No Department) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Food Engineering (AE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Gartner, Joseph A.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Peacock, Christabel P. ;Edwards, Peter |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Food & Agriculture Organization; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1988 |