IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2020) 11-1

Research article
erd

Feeds and Feeding Practices for Dairy Cattle Farming in
Selected Areas of Myanmar
AYE AYE MYINT*
Yezin Agricultural University, Naypyitaw, Myanmar
Email: ayeayemyint2006@gmail.com

EI EI WIN MUANG
Yezin Agricultural University, Naypyitaw, Myanmar
Received 22 January 2020

Accepted 10 April 2020(*Corresponding Author)

Abstract This study was carried out to evaluate the feeds and feeding practices of dairy cattle
farming in Yangon, Mandalay and Sagaing regions. The secondary data and questionnaires
were assessed from 60 farmers of 60 households in the study area and made discussion withthem. According to the findings of this study, zero grazing was the main production practices
used by smallholder dairy farmers in the study area. Most of farmers used locally available
feed resources such as cut and carry grass, forage crops, crop residue after harvesting andlocal feedstuffs. Common feedstuff used by dairy farmers in the studied areas are broken rice,
rice bran, wheat bran, beer cake, bean cake, oil cakes, cotton seed cake, sorghum, yellow corn,soybean meal, mineral block, and sugar syrup. Feeding input among the farmers in the studied
areas is similar. However, the availability and quality of these resources are varied, but
farmers are properly selected and combined according to their nutritional characteristics,
adequate and productive diets had been provided all year round for sustainable production
and productivity. There are generally two feeding practices: compound cattle feeding andhome-mixed feeding in the studied areas. Among the respondents, 84.77% preferred to use
compounded cattle feeding and others 15.23% used home- mixed feeding. Most of the
farmers in the study area used natural mating methods than artificial insemination method(AI). Over 90% of the respondents had knowledge on the signs for oestrus detection. The
average 7.45liter and 6.48liter of milk per cow per day was recorded in wet and dry seasonfrom the study area. Seventy three percent of dairy farmers used concentrate to their animals
based on milk production.
Keywords dairy, feedstuff, forage, fodder, feeding, grazing

INTRODUCTIONIn Myanmar, dairy farmers face many feed constraints such as inadequate feeding, quality andquantity of feed, price of feed, poor storage facilities for feed conservation as well as insufficientwater supply. Feed and feeding practices among dairy farmers are different due to lack of informationon composition and utilization of locally available feed resources, poor access to the market and highcost of feed inputs and low income from production. Dairy development in Myanmar has played avital role in improving the nutritional standards, generating employment opportunities and increasing
the level of income of dairy farmers in rural areas. Nowadays scarcity of feed and rising feedstuff
prices affect the dairy farming especially for small scale farmers. Farmers used seventy percent of
total production cost for feed and feeding practices. There is a limited access to adequate grazing
pastures and fodder production during the dry season. Many researchers have conducted feeding
trials to solve the feed problems to improve the utilization of crop residues and optimal feedingpractices. There are several approaches to improve the nutritive value of crop residues for dairy cattle
feeding including improved handling and processing to increase palatability, feed intake anddigestibility to release nutrients to animals. But the challenge to researchers is to work with farmers
to identify improved practices that improve productivity and are feasible, profitable and acceptablefor farmers to adopt. Selection of proper feeding standards, using the right combination of feeds inⒸ ISERD

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IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2020) 11-1

adequate quantity along with other related practices are some of the ways which will enable the farmers
to increase the milk production and make dairying more profitable. Therefore, the present study was
undertaken to ascertain the prevailing feeding practices of dairy animals in the selected areas.
METHODOLOGY
The study was conducted in Rangoon, Mandalay and Sagaing Regions. Two locations were randomly
selected from each region and 10 dairy farmers were randomly selected from each village, making
the total sample of 60 dairy farmers. Questionnaire was prepared in light of the objective. The data
was collected through interview method and personal observations for only one year i.e. 2018-2019.
The structured questionnaire was used to collect information on individual household’s
characteristics (e.g. age, gender, education and family size, etc.). Other information collected
included food and cash crop production, livestock herd structure, livestock production practices,husbandry activities, reproductive performance, livestock feeds and feeding practices, sources offeeds, major feeding constraints and milk yield were also recorded. Secondary data such as
Demographic, climate and feeding constraints, were collected using reports from Project of non governmental organization. The collected secondary data provided additional information tounderstand the dairy cattle performance in the study area.
Data Analysis
Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS, 2003) was used to analyze the data obtained frombaseline survey. Descriptive statistics analysis for percentages, means, ranges, cross tabulation were
employed to assess household characteristics, feed and feeding practices, breeding and milk yield.
RESULTS
General Observations
Zero grazing was the main production practices used by smallholder dairy farmers in the study area.
Under zero grazing, farmers were confined dairy cattle in their backyard. Feeds and drinking water
were regularly offered to them. Most of farmers hired labour to do dairy farming activities as they
had other income generating activities i.e, crop farming, civil service and other businesses. Dairy
farmers who did not own land for forage cultivation, brought forage bundles from different feedsources such as communal grazing lands, around the road side and river banks. Farmers, who own
land, cultivated the grass and sorghum to feed their animals. During the dry season when there wasa shortage of forages, farmers used rice straw, grass hay, silage feed and beer cake as supplement tofeed dairy cattle. These crop residues were mainly offered to milking cows purposely for increasing
milk yield. However, during the dry season, these feeds were not enough for normal production
performances, since most of these roughages had low nutritive values due to high lignification.
Demographic Characteristics
Table 1 shows the household characteristics of smallholder dairy farmers in studied areas. The mean
age of farmers was 54 years. The respondents comprised of both male and female headed-households.
The level of education of dairy farmers varied from one household to another, ranging from primaryschool, middle school to high school level. Majority of heads of households had middle education,
followed by high school level. Information from the formal survey also indicated that 68% of the
farmers had training in dairy cattle husbandry. In the current survey, farmers had owned an averageof 0.96 ha. The land owned under established fodder by farmers was 0.94 hectare.

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Table 1 Demographic characteristics of sample households
Parameter
Household age of farmer
Household head’s education
Household head’s farming experience
Household’s family size
Farmers received training in dairy cattle
Farmers who did not received training in dairy cattle
Total land owned
Land owned under established fodder

Unit
Year
Year
Year
NumberNumber
Percent
HectareHectareAverage
54.00
7.00
8.00
6.00
1.20
31.67
0.96
0.94

Max.
74.00
14.00
12.00
8.00
3.00
0.00
3.20
1.60

Min.
45.00
1.00
4.00
4.00
1.00
0.00
0.40
0.20

Sources of Feeds for Dairy Cattle
Table 2 Sources of feeds for dairy cattle as indicated by respondents in studied areas
Type of feeds
Roughages
Local pasture grass
Fodder grass
Rice straw
SilageConcentrates
De Heus/CP
Cotton seed cake
Bean cakes
Bean and rice powder
Sorghum
Maize bran
Beer cake
Rice bran
Oilseed cakes (cotton, sesame)
Mineral block
Sugar syrup

Own Farm %
10
20
60
25

Sources
Outside %
90
10
40
0

Do not Used %
0
70
0
75

0
20
15
20
15
30
0
10
0
0
0

100
60
85
80
0
70
85
90
100
80
80

0
20
0
0
85
0
15
0
0
20
20

Table 2 shows the main sources of feed materials for dairy cattle. The main source of local pasturesin the study area was outside lands. Other sources were farmers’ own farms. The main sources ofingredients for concentrates and minerals were from shops and milling machines.
Feeding Practices of Dairy Animals Followed by Dairy Farmers in the Studied Areas
Table 3 showed the feeding practices of dairy animals followed by dairy farmers in the studied areas.
All the smallholder dairy farmers used zero grazing. Ninety two percent of farmers practiced
individual feeding while only 7.97% used group feeding. Among the respondents, 84.77% preferred
to used compounded cattle feed and others 15.23% used homemade mixture. In the study area,
65.57% of the respondents fed the animals thrice or more daily followed by 34.43% who fed theiranimals two times in a day. More than half of the respondents (78.21%) used rice straw, 10.06%
green fodder and 11.73% used maize straw as dry fodder. The dairy farmers (89.91%) fed concentrate
feed separately while 10.09% respondents mixed with fodder. Seventy three percent of dairy farmers
used concentrate to their animals based on milk production while remaining 14.82 and 11.87 percentof the respondents fed it on flat rate and body weight. Dairy farmer (62.54%) fed concentrate to theiranimals after milking followed by 28.76% during milking and 8.70 % before milking. More than halfof respondents 57.35% and 56 % did not feed mineral mixture and salt to their animals respectively.
Breeding System of Dairy Cattle
Breeding system of dairy cattle is shown in Table 4. Most of the farmers in the study area used
Natural mating methods than Artificial Insemination method (AI). There were some limitation of AI
methods, i.e. storage of frozen semen, transportation, communication and availability of frozenⒸ ISERD

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semen. Over 90% of the respondents had knowledge on signs for oestrus detection i.e. changes incows’ behaviour (shouting, mounting and restlessness) followed by mucus discharges. However,there were no records kept by farmers relating to reproductive performances.
Table 3 Feeding practices of dairy animals followed by dairy farmers in studied areas
No.
1.
a.
b.
2.
a.
b.
3.
a.
b.
4.
a.
b.
c.
5.
a.
b.
6.
a.
b.
7.
a.
b.
c.
8.
a.
b.
c.
9.
a.
b.
10.
a.
b.

Feeding Practices
Feeding system
Zero grazing
Grazing
Feeding of animal
Individual feedingGroup feeding
Frequency of feeding
Twice
Thrice or more
Fodder availability
Green fodder
Rice straw
Maize straw
Type of concentrate
Homemade mixture
Compound cattle feed
Methods of feeding concentrate
Mixed with fodder
Separately
Feeding standard based on
Milk production
Body weight
Flat rate
Time of feeding concentrate
During milking
After milking
Before milking
Feeding mineral mixture
Yes
No
Feeding salt
Yes
No

Percentage
100
0
92.03
7.97
34.43
65.57
10.06
78.21
11.73
15.23
84.77
10.09
89.91
73.31
11.87
14.82
28.76
62.54
8.70
42.65
57.35
44.00
56.00

Table 4 Percentage of respondents indicating breeding of dairy cattle
Breeding MethodAI
Natural mating
Use of signs of oestrus
Change in feed intake
Change in cows behaviour
Change in milk production
Mucus discharge

Unit
%
%

Yes
45
65

No
55
35

%
%
%
%

40
90
25
80

60
10
75
20

Milk Yield (litres/day/cow) of Lactating Cows as Reported by Respondents
The results for milk production, milk prices and feed cost reported by respondents during baseline
survey were summarized in Table 5. Average milk production was highest in Monywa industrial
zone (10.79 Liter) followed by Mingaladon (8.45 Liter) and Patheingyi (6.29 Liter). The availabilityof feed and feeding system was affecting the milk yield. It is consistent with the previous studyⒸ ISERD

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reported by Gillah et al., 2012, which said feeding systems and calving season were affect milk yield.
Milk prices were varied within and among the regions between US $0.42 and US $ 1.00 with anaverage of US $ 0.66/ Liter. At and around Yangon region was about 1.0 US$/ L. Price for raw milkaround Mandalay was 0.56 US$/ L. Raw milk price at and around Sagaing regions was about 0.42
US $/ L. Sagaing and Mandalay farmers were always complaining on the low milk price given by
the collectors in their regions. Value added technology and contract farming were urgently neededin the studied areas. The higher demand of milk in urban population, consumption pattern,seasonality and calving season will affect the price of milk. Feed costs used by farmers were different
between US $ 0.23 and 0.57 US $ with an average cost of US $0.38/liter milk. The feed cost andavailability of feed resources depends on season in the studied areas. Feeds are generally not available
in sufficient quantities owning to overgrazing of lands and uncertain weather conditions. However,concentrate feeds, crop residues and conserved forage are used both in wet and dry seasons.
Sintayehu et al.,(2008) said that feed shortage problems in terms availability of quality, quantity andcosts of feeds were also noted as major constraints in development of dairy production.
Table 5 Milk yield (litres/day/cow) of lactating cows as reported by respondents
Location

Mean Milk Yield
Liter/cow/day

Milk Prices
Liter / US $Mingaladon (Yangon)

8.45

1. 00

Patheingyi (Mandalay)

6.29

0.56

Feed Price
US $/day/cow

Feed Cost
US $/liter milk

Gross Margin
US $/liter milk

0.57

0.43

2.69

0.35

0.21

2.71

0.23

0.19

2.99
4.00
3.00

0.38
0.57
0.23

0.28
0.43
0.19

3.57

Monywa Industrial Zone
10.79
0.42
(Sagaing)
Average
8.51
0.66
Max
11.00
1.00
Min
6.00
0.42
Source: Own Calculation based on farmers from studied areas

DISCUSSION
The present feeding management practice adopted by dairy farmers are feeding on crop residue,
additionally grain by-products are provided only to the lactating animal during milking stage.
However, the nutritional availability for productive animals is much lower than the requirement.
Extension of fodder cultivation can contribute significantly to dairy farmer to feed their animals.
Integrated fodder production and feeding management demonstrations from NGOs and INGOs can
assist the dairy farmers to improve the feeding practice. The farmers’ expenditure on feeding of the
productive animal is influenced by the price of milk and the cost of concentrate feed. Cost effective
feeding practice for productive animal can be done by reducing the used of concentrates andincreasing fodder production. Therefore, demonstration plot such as nutrient rich Azolla production
farm, use of byproducts from crop farming, field training, and motivation of farmers to take up fodder
farming (i.e. providing seed and planting materials) in their own lands can assist nutrient availability
for optimum productivity. Education level of most dairy farmers had primary and middle school
education. It is also very important to farmers to handle the farm management practices to attend thetraining and to use the information regarding dairy cattle farming (Luhosi, 1998). Educated farmers
had the ability to keep record on the reproduction and production, the performance of dairy cattle
and identify area of weakness for improvement (Gimbi, 2006). In the current study, it was revealed
that dairy farmers practiced crop farming apart from dairy farming. Rice cultivation can provide not
only food for dairy farmers but also income generation for the family as a supplementary income
obtained from dairy farming. Husbandry practices such as feeding, collection of feeds, cleaning,
milking and health management were performed by both family and hired labour. The main sourcesof forages given to dairy cattle were Para grass, Mombasa grass, Mulato, Millet, Rhodes and Seteria.
Natural growing leguminous species such as Leucaena spp., Stylosanthes spp., Arachis spp., andSorghum and Centrosema pubescens were available in the study area. Feeding grasses alone withoutⒸ ISERD

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combining with other forage species do not meet the nutrient requirements of dairy cattle formaintenance and production. Similar observation was reported by Mlay (2001) that dairy farmers in
Morogoro were feeding their animals largely on natural grass and that these feeds were unable tomeet nutritional requirements of the animals for both maintenance and production. Feeding one typeof forage to dairy cattle attributed to lack of knowledge on proper feeding of dairy cattle for achieving
higher performance. It can happen true since most of respondents interviewed had no training indairy cattle husbandry. Training of these farmers on how to feed their animals properly could bringgreater improvement in animal performance. Therefore, regular training of farmers on various
methods of improving quality of crop residues could be one of the strategies of supplementing
nutrients to cattle during dry season and hence reduce the problem of underfeeding. Mlay, (2001)
and Mtamakaya, (2002) reported that molasses and urea supplementation and treating of the straws
using wood ash and urea are some of the feeding strategies to improve utilization of crop residues.
CONCLUSION
Farmers should establish enough fodder during the rainy season when there is adequate moisture andconserve them in the form of silage ready for being utilized in the dry season. Farmers know theimportance of feeding fodder grasses to cows especially during dry season area but they were neither
conserving forages nor natural grasses in form of silage or hay due to lack of enough knowledge andskills in silage and hay making and conservation methods. Therefore it can be concluded that optimal
feeding of dairy cattle in zero grazing is not attained probably due to lack of knowledge on proper
feeding. Feeding mixture of local pasture grasses and legumes, proper mixing of concentrates, proper
utilization of crop residues, use of fodder grasses and feed conservation could be the good strategies
to be used by farmers to improve the existing feeding practices for better animal performance.
Research and extension activities are recommended to find a way to reduce the problem of shortageof fodder during dry season.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The first and foremost special tribute goes to Japan International Cooperation Agency- TechnicalCooperation Project (JICA-TCP) for providing funds for data collection and publication andpresentation of research findings. We would like to express my deep appreciation to all ourcolleagues and staff of the Department of Animal Science for their academic, material, social andmoral support. Furthermore, our deep appreciation is extended to ward extension workers and theinterviewed smallholder dairy farmers.
REFERENCES
Gillah, K.A., Kifaro G. C. and Madsen J. 2012. Urban and peri urban dairy farming in East Africa: A review
on production levels, constraints and opportunities.Livestock Research for Rural Development, Volume24(11), Retrieved from http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd24/11/gill24198.htm
Mlay, P.N.S. 2001. Enhancement of small holder dairy production under tropical conditions throughsupplementation to optimize roughage intake, digestibility and microbial protein synthesis. Copenhagen,
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NRC. 2001. Nutrient requirements of dairy cattle, Seventh Revised Edition. National Academic Press,
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Schmidt, G.H. and Van Vleck, L.D. 1974. Principles of dairy science. W.H. Freemen and Company, San
Francisco, 546.
Sintayehu Y., Fekadu B., Azage T. and Berhanu G. 2008. Dairy production, processing and marketing systemsof Shashemene – Dilla area, South Ethiopia. IPMS (Improving Productivity and Market Success) of
Ethiopian Farmers Project Working Paper 9. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi,
Kenya, 62.

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