Author : Didiek Rahmadi Suryoadikusumo

Summary : A study was conducted in Central Java, Indonesia, where two villages each represented a distinct ecozone, namely: the upland (Kembang village) in Boyolali regency, which was about 850 m above sea level with mean slope of about 14.5 percent; and the lowland (Boyolali village) in Demak regency, which was approximately 4 m above sea level with one percent mean slope. The study covered four months (December 1987-March 1988) of wet season and four months (April-July 1988) of dry season to gather data on and evaluate the forages and other feed resources for goats on smallholder level of production. Thirty Indonesian native goats, approximately 7-8 months old with weights of 11.25 + 1.93 kg (upland) and 11.46 + 2.02 kg (lowland), were used in the study. The goats were assigned to selected farmer-cooperators in the villages; 15 heads went to upland and 15 to the lowland in a joint farmer-scientist collaboration under a memorandum of agreement. Student T-test was used to analyze the differences between the upland and lowland ecozones. The upland ecozone had wider species diversity of forage than the lowland. Forages in the upland areas during wet season had significantly (P<0.05) higher protein than those in the lowland, but during the dry season had significantly (P<0.05) lower crude fiber. Crude fat, calcium, and phosphorus were not significantly different in the forages between the upland and the lowland areas. The average daily gains of goats were 42.46 and 31.36 g in the upland and lowland, respectively, which were significantly different (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in blood plasma protein and serum urea. The average final blood plasma protein levels (mg/100 ml) were 7.11 and 7.08 in upland and lowland areas, respectively. The final average of blood serum urea (mg/100 ml) were 40.90 amd 33.29 in upland and lowland, respectively. The various eggs of nematodes encountered during the observation period were from: Strongyloides papillosus, Gongylonema pulchrum, Skrjabinema ovis, Avitellina.