Wattanachant et al., 1999. Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci., 12 (2): 209-214

Sheep, aged 6-14 months, were allowed to graze for about 5 h/day in mature oil-palm plantations. The average stocking rate was 4.3 sheep/ha. DM intake was estimated using the chromium sesquioxide marker method. Herbage samples contained on average CP 13.1%, crude fibre 24.6%, and ash 8.3%; gross energy and ME were 16.9 and 6.0 MJ/kg DM, respectively. Herbage in plantations of all ages (9-21 years) contained broad leaf plants and grasses. Legumes and oil-palm seedlings formed the smallest group in the herbage. The proportion of ferns was higher in the older plantations. The average percentages of legumes, oil-palm seedlings, ferns, broad leaf plants and grasses were 0.4, 1.3, 11.4, 28.0 and 59.0 respectively of the total herbage. Sheep had the highest preference index for grasses followed by broad leaf plants, legumes, oil-palm seedlings and ferns. For sheep aged 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 months, DM intake was 64.8, 65.0, 65.3, 65.6 and 67.4 g/kg 0.75, respectively (P<0.05), and ME intake 0.39, 0.40, 0.40, 0.40 and 0.41 MJ/kg 0.75. It was concluded that the performance of the sheep could be improved by increasing the daily grazing period and by concentrate supplementation.