DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF UPLAND VEGETATIONS UTILIZED AS ANIMAL FEED

Abstract

Natural vegetations of the rainted upland at the Chom Tong Land Reform arca in Chiang Mai with altitude of 340 m was studied. The objectives were to explore the natural vegetations, which could be used as anirnal feeds and their nutritive value. The study site was divided into three areas according to the availability of forage species. Surveying of the  vegetations was performed by using 60 samples of 0.1 m² quadrat twice a month, from June 1989 to May 1990. Fifty-eight species of 22 families weed species were found. The maximum of 15 species belonged to Gramineae. Ageratum conyzoides was the predominant species of the overall vegetations according to percent of Summed Dominance Ratio (SDR). Of the 27 palatable species, Digitaria setigera which was composed of 8.04% crude protein, 2.04% ether extract, 34.24% crude fiber, 8.21% ash and 45.01% nitrogen tree extract was the major one. Chemical grass weed control in soybean had led to increase in A. conyzoides population which suppressed natural pastures such as Imperata cylindrica and D. setigera, thus reduced the carrying capacity or the area. Expanding of cultivation of soybean and fruit trees was seen as means of improving land-use intensification, but it would restrict the exploitation of the natural vegetations as well as reduce the cattle ownership per household.