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Second FAO Electronic Conference on Tropical Feeds
Livestock Feed Resources within Integrated Farming Systems
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Abstract of seventh paper, from Borin Khieu.

Questions that might stimulate discussion on this topic include
the same given for the previous paper:

1. Do you know other examples where palm sap, syrup or sugar
is used for animal feeding?

2. Do you know other palm species that are traditionally
tapped?

3. Do you have information on palm species that are
traditionally tapped in America?

4. Is tapping a practical technology for exploiting palm
trees considering the risks and the labour involved?

5. Are there prospects for tapping palm trees for animal
feeding in your country? Is it a profitable alternative
compared to other present uses such as production of
fresh juice, sugar, alcohol for human consumption?

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THE SUGAR PALM TREE AS THE BASIS OF INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS
IN CAMBODIA

Khieu Borin

Department of Animal Health and Production, Ministry of
Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries, Cambodia
E-mail: borin@forum.org.kh

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ABSTRACT

The sugar palm tree (Borassus flabellifer) plays an important
role in the small integrated farming systems in Cambodia. The
sugar palm is considered to be a multi-purpose tree and
provides different products such as juice, sugar, leaves,
timber, fruits, underground seedlings and roots. The juice
from the sugar palm is rich in highly digestible carbohydrate
(sugars) which is an alternative energy source for animal
feeding in the rural areas. The impact of the sugar palm on
the farming system is increased when the excreta from the
animals is recycled through biodigesters to provide gas for
household cooking and effluent to fertilize the pond which can
produce fish or water plants, the former for the household and
the latter for the livestock.

When sugar palm juice is used for pig feeding, rather than the
making of sugar, it is better from both the economic and
environmental points of view, because sugar production
requires large amounts of firewood that makes the cost of
production very high. It is even less profitable and extremely
harmful to the environment when palm trees are used as fuel in
order to produce the sugar.

KEY WORDS: Borassus flabellifer, palm juice, palm sugar, fuel,
environment, biodigester, sustainable production

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FAO ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE:
LIVESTOCK FEED RESOURCES WITHIN INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS
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