sfc-pos@trinidad.net
sfc@eclacpos.undp.org
OBJECTIVES AND OPERATION
WHAT IS THE SUGARCANE FEEDS CENTRE?
The Sugarcane Feeds Centre (SFC) is an institution of applied research, demonstration, development and training in tropical livestock production located on 60 hectares of formerly forested lands at Longdenville, Central Trinidad.. It was established as a 5-year project in 1976 with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), with McGill University as the Executing Agency. From 1981partial funding has been provided by the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Marine Resources, the balance being generated by the Centre's activities. Caroni (1975) Limited is the present Executing Agency.
The Centre's animals are kept in housing under intensive rearing conditions, i.e. they are "zero-grazed". The broad objective is to promote integrated production systems where primarily locally feed resources are used. To achieve this, the Centre:
HOW DOES THE SFC OPERATE?
The Centre's work is conducted under various sub-projects, (units):
Crop Production - Approximately 40 hectares are devoted to crops for feeding animals. Initially only sugarcane was grown. While sugarcane is still the major crop grown, the legume Leucaena leucocephala (Wild Tamarind), Acacia mangium and Gliricidia sepium are grown. There are fields of Trichantera gigantea (a non-legume plant from Latin America) and improved Pennisetum (elephant grass). Azolla filiculoides, a floating fern, is grown on the fish ponds. All the foregoing have high nutritive value and are well adapted to local conditions. Farmers are encouraged to use such farages in their livestock production systems.
Cattle Growth - The feedlot has a capacity of over 600 growing bulls and heifers. These are used in feeding trials. When the bulls achieve a bodyweight of over 320-kg, they are slaughtered. The meat is sold wholesale to supermarkets or retail to the general public. When heifers achieve 300-kg bodyweight they are examined and, if selected for breeding, observed for heat and served by Jamaica Hope or Holstein buss. Buffalypso as well as crossbreeds of exotic breeds of beef cattle are reared at SFC under contract with Caroni (1975) Limited. These are also used in trials and for meat production.
Dairy Production - The Dairy Unit has about 60 adult milkers and pregnant heifers. Between 35-45 head are usually in milk at any one time. Animals are fed on forages and by-products. Milk ranges between 7 to 19-kg/head/day depending on the stage of lactation. The milk is sold to the major processor with some bottled on-farm sales to individuals. Pasteurisation on a limited scale is done for sale to the public.
Calf Production - The calf rearing unit at SFC can house approximately 40 calves. They are reared in individual crates until a weight of about 60-kg is attained. They achieve this at 60-70 days of age and are then transferred to community pens. Female calves are reared as replacement stock. the males are reared for beef.
The rearing of calves using limited quantities of artificial milk substitute is now partly replaced by the use of fresh whole milk to gibe the calf a better start in life. Calves have the colostrum (first milk) for 3 days and are removed on the fourth day. They are subsequently bucket-fed whole milk at 7% of their bodyweight along with a calf ration at 2% bodyweight.
Small Ruminant Production - Both sheep and goats are reared in this unit which was started in 1982. The facilities have been twice expanded. Currently, there are over 200 head in a combined breeding and fattening unit kept on floors of wooden slats, or concrete and bagasse or sand and bagasse.. The main breeds of sheep are Barbados Black Belly and West African. A temperate breed, the Wiltshire Horn was recently introduced. Agro-industrial by-products and forages are fed in this unit. Some sheep are grazed in the aquaculture unit to partly control grass growth on the pond banks. (Small ruminant rearing integrated with other farm enterprises can also be done under citrus or on poultry farms).
Monogastric Unit - The Monogastric Unit has rabbits and pigs. The rabbits are reared in cages over the pig pens to maximize space. That environment is also conducive to their production. Rabbits are fed forages and agro-industrial by-products.
The pig herd consists of 14 sows and one boar used for breeding purposes. Piglets are sold as weaners to farmers or fattened for slaughtering at SFC. The pig unit has its own slaughter facility which is spearated from the Abattoir. Agro-industrial by-products, animal offal, Azolla and other forages are used for feeding. Sugarcane juice may also be used to satisfy the energy requirements of pigs.
Ducks - The ducks are integrated with the fish production where they are reared in suitable housing over the fish ponds. This again maximises the use of space and facilities. Duck waste and spilled feed provide nutrients for the fish. Main feeds are agro-industrial by-products and Azolla.
Aquaculture - Started in 1988, the unit consists of 13 ponds on 2.0 hectares of land. Fresh water fish - Red and Silver Tilapia and the Cascadura (Armoured Catfish) and the Common Carp are grown. Manure is applied to stimulate algal bloom and growth of the floating Azolla on the ponds. Processed abattoir waste is used as a feed ingredient, integrating the fish with animal production.
At SFC fish are sold for human consumption and male fingerlings are available to farmers for growing out. Unmarketable fingerlings are processed for use in animal production (pig feeding).
The Abattoir - The abattoir, which can slaughter over six cattle per day, was commissioned in 1988. The facility is also used for training research and commercial slaughtering. Its services are being used to develop and promote marketing of local meat eg. lamb and beef.
Offal Processing - Offal processing uses the by-products of slaughter. Fish waste is also used. Processing methods include the use of diluted acid with boiling or boiling and preservation in molasses. These methods have been introduced to individuals and fish processing operations. When preserved in molasses, pluckshop waste (without feathers), fishwaste and inedible offal can be used to supply the protein needs of pigs. With the increasing prices of imported and other purchased feeds more emphasis can be placed on such feeding systems.
Leather can be a valuable by-product of animal slaughter but the tannery at the Centre intended for training, demonstration and product development is not yet completed due to lack of resources. urrently animal hides are sold to local tanners for processing into finished product.
Economic Evaluation - Information generated in the technical sub-projects are subjected to financial and economic evaluations. The results and recommendations are used in the development of production models at SFC and for farmers.
Extension - The Centre has worked closely in the past with a small group of farmers to obtain baseline economic and socio-cultural information. Currently extension work is conducted through
MOLASSES UREA SALT (MUS) BLOCKS
A cornerstone of local feeding of animals can be the MUS block. Farm-made MUS blocks are used in the feeding of cattle, sheep and goats. The block improves digestion, growth rate and feed conversion efficiency. They consist by weight of molasses (40), urea, cement and salt (10 each) and wheat middling/bran (30). The urea, cement and salt mixed in a small quantity of water is stirred into the molasses. The wheat middling is then added in and mixed. The mixture is then pressed out in a mould eg. an old bucket, and put to harden for 1 week. The hard block is offered to healthy animals with grass and other feeds. Forage must always be available.
MANURE USE AT SFC
Traditional farm systems had animals being fed crops or waste from the farm but also animal manure was highly valued for fertilizing the crops. While waste from intensive livestock production can have a negative impact on the environment it can be a valuable farm resource. Manure is collected and recycled on to crops. At the Centre there are two (2) medium-sized demonstration biogas plants which handle some of the available animal waste. In the plants, the animals' manure is digested by bacteria under anaerobic conditions producing methane and other gases. This is used for cooking but, if in sufficient supply, may also be used for lighting on the farm and for the running of engines. The treated effluent is a better quality manure without the characteristic odours and is less harmful to the environment. The effluent also conserves water for fertilizing and irrigation in the dry season.
WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
While the SFC is locally funded, in recent years through mainly the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC) and the Continuing Education Programme in Agricultural Technology (CEPAT) of UWI, the Centre's work has been made known in other Caribbean territories. This is expected to continue.
Contact and collaboration with local farmers and regional and international organisations interested in promoting integrated crop/livestock production and sustainable systems is also increasing in a more cost conscious environment. It is becoming apparent that discarded traditional agricultural practices need to be re-examined for their benefits which were lost through implementing of more costly "modern" systems.
The Centre as a semi-autonomous institution in the Ministry of Agriculture also continues in its effort, as constrained as its circumstances are, to show that publicly funded organisations could provide a relevant and effective service to their clientele. It considers that it has a contribution to make to the ongoing search for public service reform and effectiveness in agricultural development.
HOW CAN ONE BENEFIT FROM THE SFC's WORK?
One can gain exposure by visiting. Wednesdays are open days when visitors are received without appointment. Groups intending to visit are advised to call first to arrange a day and time. SFC is located at Pokhor Road, Longdenville and can be contacted by Telephone 1-868-665-9967/7913, Fax 1-868-671-4809 or the local postal service.
CONTACT PERSON: Mrs. Kimrajee Mohan-Jaggessar
Mrs. Leela Jagroopsingh - Accountant
E-mail: sfc@eclacpos.undp.org