ABSTRAK
Ruminants serve a multiple of purposes in South-East Asian farming systems. in addition to the production of meat and milk, livestock provide essential farm inputs, such as manure and draught. In part, ruminant livestock production is based 0E1 low-quality residues from primary crop pro.duction, rrkSti materials can be converted into human consumable food, provided suitable supplements are available, From a fanning system\u27s perspective, the nutritive value derived from rice straw is discussed. Veliuttary intake and digestibility of rice straw. Le. nutritive value., varies between eultivats, independent of grain yield In sheep, the nutrients derived from straw can be doubled Wrough selection by offering excess straw, Moreover, individual annuals show variation in voluntary intake_ digestibility and pCriarrnance. Livestock performance relies he-aviiy 011 supplements. Particularly with basal feeds not sufficient for maintenance needs, e.g. untreated
straw, the conversion of supplement into gain increases with level of supplementation. At system\u27s level this means that the output is optimize-d by restricling the number of - animals. In the dry season with limited ainotom of suppli,3ment available, it is a useful strategy to impose road quality restriction. During tits subsoquont wot $.eason the animals compensate through increased .feed intake and a more efficient conversi MI of outrieitts. It is concluded that in mixed crop-livestock production systems largely geared towards.% the production of food crops, there are ample opportunities to attain moderate li:vels of nimmaiit lives bock production. However, from a system\u27s point of VECW, it is perhaps not the prii/lary question hoes\u27 /CC straw could be frilly utilized for production, but how and to what extent the inifization of rice straw is optimized taking into EWCEJEME the totiil packagc of availabk: feed resourixs.
Kos...Words : Sustainable Vanning Systems, Livestock Production, Rice Straws. Supplu nen
