Abstract 385

Coomans,-P; Gaullier,-P

Socapalm, B.P. 691, Douala, Cameroon.

Oleagineux. 1985, 40: 2, 59-65.

A cattle production project attached to the Socapalm plantation at Mbongo, SW Cameroon, is outlined. The 7000 ha oil palm plantation was begun in 1969 but the 1st N'Dama cattle, a small stocky breed, were not introduced until 1979. The cattle were grazed under the palms on natural pasture with daily strip grazing to maintain herbage availability. Information on the origins of the cattle, pasture infrastructure and care and control of the cattle is presented. Pasture management was based on a stocking rate of 1 tropical livestock unit (250 kg adult animal)/5 ha with rotation every 3 months. This gave the slow-growing shaded pastures, dominated by Paspalum conjugatum, time to recover. Mineral supplements and water were supplied ad lib. and av. daily consumption was 35 g/TLU and 3-6 l/TLU, resp. Changes in pastures under growing palms and the effects of grazing on vegetation and soil are discussed.