Professional Documents
Culture Documents
THAILAND
by
H.M. Shelton and Chaisang Phaikaew
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FAO 2006
3
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION 5
7. REFERENCES 11
8. CONTACTS 12
Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profile 5
1. INTRODUCTION
Thailand is a land of 60 M people
(According to the World Factbook by
July 2006 the population had reached
64631595 with a growth rate of 0.68%)
covering an area of approximately 51.3M
ha and lying between 6o N and 20o N
latitude. Eighty percent of the country
lies below 500m altitude, with only 5%
above 1 000 m (Donner, 1978). Real
GDP in 1996 was US$2 750 per capita
with 8.8% growth including 3.2% in
agriculture.
Average farm size is 4.2ha/household
(Kreethapon, 1994). Of 20 M ha desig-
nated as farm land, 18 M ha (93%) is
used for cropping and can be divided into
paddy rice (55%), field crops (34%), veg-
etables and permanent crops (11%). Only
0.7Mha is classified as grassland or idle
land. Therefore, the ruminant population
of approximately 1.8 M water buffaloes,
4.6 M cattle, 37 300 sheep and 144 200
goats (Table 1) are largely grazed or
hand-fed in conjunction with the cropping
enterprises. Dairy cattle are mainly situ-
ated in the Central and Northeast regions
and their numbers are still relatively small Figure 1. Map of Thailand
although they are rapidly increasing.
In 2003 beef and veal production reached 183000tonnes (but dropped to 115000tonnes in 2005),
buffalo meat production was 62300tonnes in 2005 and cow milk production 900000tonnes in 2005.
Milk production has increased since 1991, however large quantities of dairy products, specially dry milk
are imported as well as live cattle and buffalo and beef+veal (Table 1).
Table 1. Thailand statistics for ruminant numbers, beef, veal, buffalo meat and milk production, cattle
imports and beef and veal imports for the period 19962005.
Item 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Cattle nos. (,000,000) 6.4 5.8 5.2 4.8 4.6 4.6 4.8 5.1 5.3 5.5
Buffalo nos. (,000,000) 3.3 2.9 2.3 1.9 1.7 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.8
Goat nos. (,000) 97.8 125.3 130.9 132.9 144.2 188.5 177.9 213.9 250.1 270.0
Sheep nos. (,000) 42.3 41.9 40.4 39.5 37.3 42.7 39.3 42.9 47.8 50.0
Beef & veal prod. (,000 tonnes) 231.8 206.0 183.5 169.9 171.5 176.3 182.9 190.4 114.7 115.0
Buffalo meat prod. (,000 tonnes) 90.9 79.1 69.3 60.4 51.9 57.7 58.2 59.1 60.2 62.3
Cow milk prod. (,000 tonnes) 343.4 385.7 437.1 464.5 520.1 587.7 660.3 731.9 842.6 900.0
Cattle imports nos. (,000) 2.6 17.7 79.3 138.3 90.3 164.7 121.0 76.9 152.5 n.a.
Buffalo imports nos. (,000) 0.6 1.4 21.7 60.0 55.1 69.5 61.1 37.5 35.0 n.a.
Beef & veal imports (tonnes) 1176 1476 1846 1442 1323 987 1148 1028 1220 n.a.
Milk equivalent imports (,000
1 130.5 1 392.1 1 008.0 1 077.5 1 140.0 1 126.9 1 291.9 1 307.3 1 278.4 n.a.
tonnes)
Source: FAO Database 2006
n.a. = not available
6 Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profile
forage improvement. A typical Northeastern household cultivates 14ha of upland crops (cassava, sugar
cane, maize, horticultural crops) and raises 13 head of buffalo for draft. Many households also own a
few head of cattle for draft and commercial sale.
2.3 Soils
Studies of legume crops in farmers fields in Thailand have shown that a high proportion suffer from one
or more deficiencies of the macro-elements phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S), nitrogen (N)
and the micronutrients boron (B) and molybdenum (Mo) (Bell et al,. 1990). These low nutrient levels
would undoubtedly reduce productivity of forage legumes according to species, site and management.
Upland soils in the Northeast region are largely podzolics, latosols, and regosols characterised by
sandy texture, acid reaction, low organic matter content and low cation exchange capacity. They are
characterised by a low level of plant nutrients particularly of N, P, K and S while Cu, and Mo are limiting
in some soils (Topark-Ngarm and Gutteridge, 1986).
In the South, most soils are infertile and deficient in the major nutrients N, P, K, S, Mg and
micronutrients Zn and Cu (Sophanodora, 1995, 1997).
distributed to the farmers of Thailand Legume species 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
S. hamata cv. Verano
at nominal cost. Details of species Station 35 31 11 17 10 20
produced are given in Table 2. The two Farmer 325 296 173 231 140 130
Total 360 327 184 248 150 150
main species are ruzi grass (Brachiaria S. guianensis cv. Graham
ruziziensis) and stylo (Stylosanthes Station 9 4 4 13 2 0.2
Farmer - - 5 5 - -
hamata cv. Verano). Substantial Total 9 4 9 18 2 0.2
quantities of purple guinea grass Leucaena leucocephala
(Panicum maximum T 58) and smaller Station 6 6 11 9 8 9
Centrosema pubescens
quantities of Stylosanthes guianensis Station 4 6 7 14 14 7
cv. Graham, Centrosema pubescens, Other legumes
Desmanthus virgatus, Macroptilium Station 1 1 2 1 1 12
Total 380 344 213 290 175 179
atropurpureum, Leucaena
(Phaikaew 1997)
leucocephala, Cajanus cajan, Panicum
maximum cv. Hamil and Common, Paspalum plicatulum, Setaria sphacelata, Andropogon gayanus,
Brachiaria decumbens, and forage sorghum have also been produced. Programmes of investigation into
seed production of promising new species Paspalum atratum BRA 9610, Arachis pintoi cv. Amarillo,
Cassia rotundifolia cv. Wynn, Stylosanthes guianensis CIAT 184, Macroptilium gracile cv. Maldonado,
and Aeschynomene americana cv. Lee and Glenn (Phaikaew, 1997) are now underway.
Forage seed production programmes in Thailand have evolved through research, pilot projects and
a Government supported village seed production enterprise. Village farmers were guaranteed purchase
at a predetermined price for seed which was produced and cleaned on farm. Factors contributing to the
success of the programme were favourable climate for seed production, extensive preparatory research,
intensive initial supervision, realistic price incentives, and good market demand.
7. REFERENCES
Bell, R.W., Rerkasem, B., Keerati-Kasikorn, P., Petchawee, S., Hiranburana, N., Ratanarat, S., Pongsakul, P.
and Loneragan, J.F. (1990). Mineral Nutrition of Food Legumes in Thailand. ACIAR, Canberra. 52 pp.
Donner, W. (1978). The Five Faces of Thailand. University of Queensland Press. 930pp.
Eelaart van den, A.L.J. (1973). Climate and crops in Thailand. Soil Survey Division Report SSR-96, Bangkok. 27 pp.
Foppes, J. (1993). Ley farming: From theory to practice - extension of crop-pasture rotations in North-east
Thailand. In: Chen, C.P. and Satjipanon, C. (eds). Strategies for suitable forage-based livestock production in
Southeast Asia. Proceedings of Third Meeting of Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resources
of Southeast Asia. pp. 207-215.
Gibson, T.A. (1987). Legume ley farming a low cost method of overcoming soil fertility limitations in an
upland agricultural system. In: Wallis, E.S. and Byth, D.E. (eds). Food legume improvement for Asian
farming systems, ACIAR Proceedings No. 18. pp. 236-237.
Gutteridge, R.C., Shelton, H.M., Wilaipon, B. and Humphreys, L.R. (1983). Productivity of pastures and responses
to salt supplements by beef cattle on native pasture in North-east Thailand. Tropical Grasslands, 17: 105-114.
Kreethapon, I. (1994). Future legume production development in Thailand. In: Helge Brunse and Pipob
Jarikpakon (eds). Tropical Forage Legume Seed Production and Processing. Lectures and Findings of
Symposium and Workshop, Muak Lek, Saraburi, February 1994. pp. 92-99.
Manidool, C. (1983). Pastures under coconuts in Thailand. In: Junag, T.C. (ed). Asian Pastures. Teipei, FFTC
Book Series No. 25. pp. 204-213.
Mullen, B.F. and Shelton, H.M. (1995). Integration of ruminants into plantation systems in Southeast Asia.
ACIAR Proceedings N0. 64. 115 pp.
12 Country Pasture/Forage Resource Profile
Phaikaew, Chaisang (1994). Forage legume seed production in Thailand: Background review and present
status. Paper presented at Symposium on Tropical Forage Legume Seed Production/Processing at Dairy
promotion Organisation of Thailand.
Phaikaew, Chaisang (1997). Current status of and prospects for tropical forage seed production in Southeast
Asia: Experiences and recommendations from Thailand. In: Str, W.W. (ed). Feed Resources for Smallholder
Livestock Production in Southeast Asia. Proceedings of regional meeting in Vientiane, Lao PDR. CIAT
Working Document No. 156. pp. 57-63.
Phaikaew, Chaisang and Hare, M. (1996). Thailands experience with forage seed supply systems. Regional
Workshop on Forage Agronomy, Seed Production and Seed Supply, Khon Kaen, Thailand.
Phaikaew, Chaisang, Nakamanee, Ganda, and Klum-em, Kiatisak (1997). FSP Activities in Thailand. In: Str,
W.W. (ed). Feed Resources for Smallholder Livestock Production in Southeast Asia. Proceedings of regional
meeting in Vientiane, Lao PDR. CIAT Working Document No. 156. pp. 49-50.
Sophanodora, P. (1995). Forage research in Southern Thailand. In: Mullen, B.F. and Shelton, H.M (eds).
Integration of ruminants into plantation systems in Southeast Asia. ACIAR Proceedings N0. 64. pp. 104-
108.
Sophanodora, P. (1997). Crop-livestock integration in Southern Thailand: prospects and constraints. In: Str,
W.W. (ed). Feed Resources for Smallholder Livestock Production in Southeast Asia. Proceedings of regional
meeting in Vientiane, Lao PDR. CIAT Working Document No. 156. pp. 77-82.
Topark-Ngarm, A. and Gutteridge, R.C. (1986). Forages in Thailand. In: Blair, G.J., Ivory, D.A. and Evans,
T.R. (eds). Forages in Southeast Asian and Pacific Agriculture. ACIAR Proceedings No. 12. pp. 96-103.
Udchachon, S. and Boonpakdee, W. (1993). Demonstration trial on suitable backyard pasture utilisation for
small dairy farm in Khon Kaen. In: Chen, C.P. and Satjipanon, C. (eds). Strategies for suitable forage-
based livestock production in Southeast Asia. Proceedings of Third Meeting of Regional Working Group on
Grazing and Feed Resources of Southeast Asia. pp. 49 57.
8. CONTACTS
For further information on forages in Thailand, seed sources (eg. ruzi grass, guinea grass, Verano stylo)
contact:
Dr. Chaisang Phaikaew,
Division of Animal Nutrition,
Department of Livestock Development, Phyathai Road, Rajthewee, Bangkok,
10400, Thailand.
Fax No.: (662) 2511941
E-Mail: < chaisangp@dld.gov.th>
Assoc. Prof. Max Shelton
School of Land and Food,
University of Queensland,Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Fax No.: (617) 33651188
E-mail: <m.shelton@uq.edu.au >
This forage resource profile was prepared in 1998 by Chaisang Phaikaew and Max Shelton. Livestock
data were updated in November 2003 and October 2006 by S.G. Reynolds.
Thailand has been a member of the (FAO sponsored) Working Group (WG) on Grazing and Feed
Resources of South-east Asia since the inception of the WG in 1989. For more details of the WG and
papers from Thailand see the WG Meeting Proceedings.