Bio-economic model of rainfed rice�Bali cattle farming system in Maliana, Bobonaro, Timor Leste

The study was conducted to develop a bio-economic model of rainfed rice-Bali cattle farming system in Maliana, Bobonaro district of Timor-Leste that could be used as a tool to evaluate alternative management options to improve the existing production system. A survey was conducted among selected farmers in seven villages of Maliana and focus on the rainfed rice-Bali cattle production system. A total of 120 farmers were randomly selected and were interviewed about their current farming system practices. Results of the survey reveal that they practice small-scale subsistence cropping of rice and maize. Farming is their main source of income and characterized by relatively low yield attributed to poor application of improved technologies. Farming systems are diverse and most farmers also raise livestock (e.g. cattle, water buffalo, goats). Native pastures consisting of mainly native grasses and some legumes provide a cheap source of feeds. Livestock range freely with no grazing management which gradually lead to loss of vegetative cover and soil erosion. Moreover, results reveal that majority of respondents inherited the practice of raising Bali cattle from their parents and they have been raising cattle from 5 to 40 years. Respondents obtained their knowledge on cattle production from the government with conditions such as provision of training on feeding, pest and disease control, free vaccines and other technical supports. Farmers cited that availability of inexpensive and quality forages especially during the long dry season is a major constraint on cattle production. Farmers depend heavily on locally available natural feed resources but there is a shortfall due to limited land availability and uncertain local climatic patterns. Inadequate government support in terms of improved technology in crop-livestock farming system is aggravated by the scarcity of resources and reluctance of farmers to adopt improved technologies. A simulation model was used to predict the effect of management interventions on integrated Bali cattle in rainfed lowland rice. The model generated three sub-systems: rice straw, animal and legumes. For modal validation, data obtained from survey involving 120 respondents, 10 were separated and used. Animal weights obtained using the model was developed and used to evaluate possible interventions. Three possible interventions were identified, namely: T1 (rice straw + ipil-ipil), T2 (rice straw + madre de cacao), and T3 (rice straw + ipil-ipil + madre de cacao). A total of 12 Bali steers weighing 150 kg each were used to evaluate the alternative management options to improve the present rainfed rice-Bali cattle production system. Equal number of steers as samples in the farmers' field and were fed with rice straw ad libitum (control), another two sets were confined and fed using T1 and T3 and monitored for 120 days. Animal fed with T3 gave significant results in terms of body weight gained compared to T1 and T0. The field test proved that the bio-economic model developed made it possible to integrate available leguminous forage after rainfed rice to improve the growth of Bali cattle in terms of body language.