Vegetation-Based Assessment of Forage Potential in Cattle–Oil Palm Integrated Farming Systems

Muhammad Irvan Ali; Itang Purnama; Rifqi Hidayatulloh; Baluh Medyabrata Atmaja; Amelia Lulu Rosalin Hutabarat; Wenni Meika Lestari; Alief Rahmania Safitri; Makmur Batara Bakti

doi:10.30736/jt.v16i2.272

Authors

Muhammad Irvan Ali Animal Feed Technology Study Program, Department of Agroindustry Technology, Politeknik Negeri Tanah Laut https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4110-3214
Itang Purnama Animal Feed Technology Study Program, Department of Agroindustry Technology, Politeknik Negeri Tanah Laut
Rifqi Hidayatulloh Animal Feed Technology Study Program, Department of Agroindustry Technology, Politeknik Negeri Tanah Laut
Baluh Medyabrata Atmaja Animal Feed Technology Study Program, Department of Agroindustry Technology, Politeknik Negeri Tanah Laut
Amelia Lulu Rosalin Hutabarat Animal Feed Technology Study Program, Department of Agroindustry Technology, Politeknik Negeri Tanah Laut
Wenni Meika Lestari Animal Feed Technology Study Program, Department of Agroindustry Technology, Politeknik Negeri Tanah Laut
Alief Rahmania Safitri Animal Feed Technology Study Program, Department of Agroindustry Technology, Politeknik Negeri Tanah Laut
Makmur Batara Bakti Animal Feed Technology Study Program, Department of Agroindustry Technology, Politeknik Negeri Tanah Laut

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30736/jt.v16i2.272

Keywords:

Cattle, Forage, Oil Palm, Vegetation

Abstract

Integrated cattle–oil palm farming systems (SISKA) have been widely promoted in Indonesia, yet quantitative information on the forage potential of plantation understory vegetation remains limited and site-specific. This study assessed the composition, dominance structure and dry-matter (DM) attributes of understory vegetation in smallholder oil palm plantations (<10 years old) managed under a cattle–oil palm integration scheme in Tanah Laut Regency, South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Vegetation was sampled using twenty 1 × 1 m quadrats per site. For each species, relative density (RD), relative frequency (RF) and a simplified Importance Value Index (IVI = RD + RF) were calculated. Palatability was confirmed by direct observation of cattle intake, and DM content was determined by oven-drying herbage samples to constant weight. A total of 12 species from 7 families were recorded, consisting of grasses (Poaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), legumes (Fabaceae) and broad-leaved forbs. The understory was strongly dominated by grasses, with Axonopus compressus showing the highest RD (60.36%), RF (16.67%) and IVI (77.03), and a relatively high DM content (33.51%), making it the keystone species in the ground layer. Almost all species (11 of 12; 92%) were classified as palatable to cattle, while only Peperomia pellucida was rejected and contributed negligibly to DM due to its low abundance and very low DM percentage (5.78%). The coexistence of productive grasses, nitrogen-fixing legumes and various forbs indicates a moderately diverse understory community that can provide a continuous, though heterogeneous, forage supply. These findings provide a site-specific, vegetation-based baseline for estimating forage DM potential and designing grazing strategies in SISKA systems, contributing to more productive and sustainable cattle–oil palm integration in Indonesia.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

A. Novra, W. Negara, and Fatati, “Integrated system of cattle and oil palm (SISKA): The future of priority policies in achieving the target of Asian red meat barns SDGs 2045,” presented at the International Conference on Organic and Applied Chemistry (ICOAC) 2022, Malang, Indonesia, 2024, p. 070052. doi: 10.1063/5.0188653.

J. Zhao, A. J. Elmore, J. S. H. Lee, I. Numata, X. Zhang, and M. A. Cochrane, “Replanting and yield increase strategies for alleviating the potential decline in palm oil production in Indonesia,” Agricultural Systems, vol. 210, p. 103714, Aug. 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2023.103714.

K. A. Tohiran, F. Nobilly, R. Zulkifli, A. Ashton-Butt, and B. Azhar, “Cattle-grazing in oil palm plantations sustainably controls understory vegetation,” Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, vol. 278, pp. 54–60, June 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2019.03.021.

R. B. A. Pangestu, S. Suryanti, and R. M. Hartati, “Dominance of Understory Vegetation and Biomass Production of Oil Palm Plantations on Mineral Land,” JUATIKA, vol. 7, no. 2, May 2025, doi: 10.36378/juatika.v7i2.4283.

N. R. Kumalasari, G. P. Wicaksono, and L. Abdullah, “Plant Growth Pattern, Forage Yield, and Quality of Indigofera zollingeriana Influenced by Row Spacing,” Med Pet, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 14–19, Apr. 2017, doi: 10.5398/medpet.2017.40.1.14.

N. D. Purwantari, B. Tiesnamurti, and Y. Adinata, “Availability of Forage Under Oil Palm Plantation for Cattle Grazing,” Indonesian Bulletin of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, vol. 25, no. 1, Mar. 2015, doi: 10.14334/wartazoa.v25i1.1128.

J. Balthrop et al., Eds., Quality assurance for animal feed analysis laboratories. in FAO animal production and health manual, no. 14. Rome: FAO, 2011.

W. M. De Souza, M. C. G. Paiva, Ú. R. Zaidan, K. F. Mendes, and F. C. L. De Freitas, “Parameters of the Phytosociological Survey to Evaluate the Abundance, Distribution, and Diversity of the Weed Community,” in Applied Weed and Herbicide Science, K. F. Mendes and A. Alberto Da Silva, Eds., Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2022, pp. 97–126. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-01938-8_3.

A. Shukla and S. Nath, “Comparative Phytosociological Analysis of Tree and Herbs Diversity in Forestry, Agroforestry, and Wetland Ecosystems of Ghaziabad District, Uttar Pradesh, India,” J. Sci. Res. Rep., vol. 31, no. 10, pp. 852–860, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.9734/jsrr/2025/v31i103629.

A. Ashton-Butt et al., “Understory Vegetation in Oil Palm Plantations Benefits Soil Biodiversity and Decomposition Rates,” Front. For. Glob. Change, vol. 1, p. 10, Dec. 2018, doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2018.00010.

A. Yenni, P. Yayuk, K. Dedi, N. Khairunnisyah, H. Dian, and L. Fiqi Alfisar, “Assessment and analysis of plant vegetation under oil palm from 2000 and 2017 plantation,” Plant Sci. Today, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 1–7, Feb. 2025, doi: 10.14719/pst.3124.

I. Martaguri, P. D. M. H. Karti, K. G. Wiryawan, R. Dianita, and L. Abdullah, “Dynamic of Carbon, Nitrogen Content and Biomass Production of Axonopus compressus on Modified Shade Conditions of Oil Palm Plantation,” Pakistan J. of Nutrition, vol. 15, no. 10, pp. 905–912, Sept. 2016, doi: 10.3923/pjn.2016.905.912.

I. Ahmad, B. D. Hikmawan, A. Mun’im, and R. Sulistiarini, “Peperomia pellucida (L.) Kunth herbs: A comprehensive review on phytochemical, pharmacological, extraction engineering development, and economic promising perspectives,” J App Pharm Sc, 2022, doi: 10.7324/JAPS.2023.130201.

E. Sutedi, I. Herdiawan, Y. Widiawati, D. Yulistiani, D. A. K., and A. Fanindi, “Potential of understorey vegetation in oil palm plantation as forage source for beef cattle feed in Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatera,” BIO Web Conf., vol. 177, p. 04003, 2025, doi: 10.1051/bioconf/202517704003.

Suryana, M. A. Chozin, and D. D. Guntoro, “Identifikasi Spesies Tanaman Penutup Tanah pada Perkebunan Kelapa Sawit Menghasilkan,” J Agron Indonesia, vol. 47, no. 3, pp. 305–311, Jan. 2020, doi: 10.24831/jai.v47i3.26980.

H. Gunawan, S. Manurung, and M. Ichsan, “Analysis of Weed Vegetation in Oil Palm Plants (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) in Bekiun Plantation at PT. Langkat Nusantara Kepong,” JUATIKA, vol. 7, no. 1, Jan. 2025, doi: 10.36378/juatika.v7i1.3966.

Y. Fenetahun, Y. You, T. Fentahun, X. Xinwen, and W. Yong-dong, “Effects of grazing intensity on forage nutritive value of dominant grass species in Borana rangelands of Southern Ethiopia,” PeerJ, vol. 9, p. e12204, Oct. 2021, doi: 10.7717/peerj.12204.

T. P. Daru et al., “Diversity, nutrient contents and production of forage plants in an integrated cattle livestock-oil palm plantation in East Kalimantan, Indonesia,” Biodiversitas, vol. 24, no. 4, May 2023, doi: 10.13057/biodiv/d240406.

R. Kummari, N. R. Bezawada, and M. Kamireddy, “Nutritive Screening and Forage Yield of Guinea and Hybrid Napier Grass Varieties Under Dense Shade of Mature Oil Palm Plantation,” JOPR, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.21894/jopr.2023.0051.