Raising Condition and Nutritive Values of Forage Crops for Dairy Buffalo in Ban Sileum Noi, Tambon Nong Sano, Amphoe Nang Rong, Burirum Province

Abstract

This research was conducted in order to study the raising condition and nutritive values of forage crops for dairy buffalo in Ban Sileum Noi, Tambon Nong Sano, Amphoe Nang Rong, Buriram Province. The questionnaires both open-ended and closed-ended forms were used as a tool to collect the raising condition information from12 households. In addition, the forage crops samples in the study area were collected to analyze the nutritive values. The results showed that most of the farmers were male, age range between 51 and 60 years old, married, graduated just primary school, and grown rice as a major farming job. Most of them owned 8-11 buffaloes, raised the dairy buffalo individualy or mixed with swamp buffalo, covered the corral with a roofto protect sunlight and rain, fed dairy buffaloes with mixed roughagesand concentrate diet, and trypically used Napier Pak Chong 1 as roughages. However, there were four forage crops fed to dairy buffalo in the study area; for example, napier grass Pak Chong 1, purple guineagrass, ruzigrass, and rice straw. Napier grass Pak Chong 1 contained the highest protein content, but purple guinea grass, ruzi grass, and rice straw contained high fiber content at the significant level p<0.01.