Issues of ruminant integration with oil palm plantation

The national agricultural policy identified integration of ruminant with plantation as an important strategy to increase beef production. thus,the nationai beef production was forecasted to increase from 9500 t in 2005 to 20 200 t in 2010 while the numbers of cattle should reach 1 million by 2015. this follows integration of 739 600 ha of plantation with ruminant. a further increase to 2.2 million hectares for livestock integration should spearhead beef production towards self-sufficiency. integration with ruminant provides additional income and biological control of weeds thus,reduces chemical contamination. despite the efforts to promote livestock integration,the idea did not really take off. the managements of established plantations remain focused on palm oil production claiming that livestock integration distracted them from that primary function. therefore,livestock integration system should be reviewed to encourage small planters' participation via modifications of the current 'on-farm' or 'farm within plantation' integration where all activities are carried out in the same farm to 'between-farm' integration where each farm concentrates on a specific output with exchanges of resources between farms or farmers. however,'betweenfarm' integration requires modification of the current policy on livestock-crop integration. furthermore,it requires close coordination for successful and sustainable venture.