Land Utilized More Efficiently for Production:

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in the Salt-2 project,which uses Anglo Nubian goats in a dairy scheme,a stocling rate of 10-12 head per 1/2 hectare of well established forage was achieved.In contrast,average stocking rates for free ranging goats are only 6 goats per hectare.The cut and carry system almost quadruples the land use potential.Having goats penned allows for easier control and management of the herd.Ease of handling and more farmer/goat interaction allows for better management,also permits regular monitoring of disease,breeding cycles and parturition.An added benefit of the penning of goats under a cut and carry system is centralized production of animal waste.The manure can be used as fertilizer on the farm,or sold as a fertility amendmant,bringing extra cash to the farmer.Generally speaking,the highest cost in animal production is the feed,while the most expensive feed ingredient is protein.The utilization of nitrogen fixing plants such as rensonii.ipil-ipil,madre de cacao and indigofera as high protein forages can help supply a great deal of this needed protein.Morever,the N utilized to build the proteins in the forage comes largely from atmospheric nitrogen,fixed by the roots of the plants through a symbiotic relationship between roots and soil organism.Some nitrogen fixing  plants such as ipil-ipil are high in Mimosine,some farmers like to dry the ipil-ipil-first as not to cause the animal any problems.Another common complaint about penned animals is the possibility of outbreaks of infectious diseases.Animals raised in close proximity to each other do have a higher risk of disease spread.Good sanitation and good management practices will do much to correct this problem.Our experience with the Salt 2 production system has shown it to be a successful production system based on the cut and carry of forage from nitrogen fixing plants.In addition,our experience with local farmers shows the ability of smallholders to adopt this type of system.In Asian argriculture in the future,there will be an ever increasing need to maximize production from limited land resources.Cut and carry animal production systems show great potential,while the use of nitrogen fixing forage crops will make those systems more productive and sustainable.
By: Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Centre (mbrlc)