Performance of male bali cattle raised in the marginal land with three strata forage system in different seasons

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of male Bali Cattle raised in marginal land planted with three strata forage system (TSFS) in different seasons. A-3.2 ha of marginal land was divided into eight plots (each plot was 40 m X 100 m), then four plots were planted with the TSFS and other four plots were planted with native grasses (Control: C). Eight head of male Bali cattle (average body weight 150 kg) grazed continuously in the experimental land (1 cattle/plot). The experiment was carried out for three consecutive years (1992-1995). Dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), efficiency of feed intake (EFI), and rumen NH₃ (R-NH₃) of the cattle grazing in the TSFS land were 6.292 kg/head/day, 0.365 kg/head/day, 18.508%, and 25.670 mg/100 ml, respectively. DMI, ADG, EFI and R-NH₃ for the C were 3.950 kg/head/day, 0.170 kg/head/day, 23.825%, and 19.025 mg/100 ml, respectively. Comparing between wet and dry seasons showed 5.533 versus 4.708 kg/head/day for DMI, 0.288 versus 0.247 kg/head/day for ADG and 19.348 versus 23.985% for EFI, but R-NH₃ was not different (22.162 versus 22.533 mg/100 ml). In conclusion, the performance of Bali male cattle grazing in the marginal land with TSFS system was better than that of cattle raised in the land of native grasses.