MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental siteThis study was conducted in Medan (North Sumatra), Indonesia. The province is located in the tropical and monsoon region, and lies between 98-100° East and 1-4° N. There are two seasons during the year, dry season from February to September and rainy season from November to March. The temperature is nearly constant, differing by only a few degrees among the dry and rainy seasons with daily temperature ranges from 18 to 34°C. The annual rainfall ranges from 1,100 to 3,400 mm with humidity varying between 79 to 96%. Collection of forage samplesThe forages evaluated consisted of seven species of grasses (Andropogon gayanus, Axonopus compressus, Brachiaria decumbens, Cynodon plectostachyus, Panicum maximum, Pennisetum purpuphoides and Pennisetum purpureum) and 5 species of legumes (Calopogonium mucunoides, Centrosema pubescens, Gliricidia maculata, Leucaena leucocephala and Pueraria phaseloides). The forage samples were collected during the rainy season

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the potential nutritive value of five legume forages (leaves and twigs) in West Sumatra during wet and dry seasons. The chemical composition, in vitro dry matter (IVDMD), organic matter (IVOMD) and crude protein digestibility (IVCPD), in vitro gas characteristics and estimated metabolizable energy (ME) showed variation among legume forages and between different seasons. Crude protein (CP) ranged from 14.2 to 27.8% DM in the wet season, with a significant (p<0.05) reduction in dry season. C. pubescens, G. maculata, L. leucocephala and P. phaseloides showed the least reduction in CP content. The NDF, ADF and lignin were about 39.0, 26.5 and 6.1% DM, respectively in the wet season, and significantly (p<0.05) increased in the dry season, except for NDF of C. mucunoides and C. pubescens. For IVDMD, IVOMD and IVCPD significantly increased in the wet season, but values remained as high as over 50.0% of DM. The in vitro gas characteristics and metabolizable energy were significantly (p<0.05) higher in wet season than the dry season. During both seasons, the rate of constant (c) for G. maculata and ME content for C. pubescens and P. phaseloides were not significantly (p<0.05). Results demonstrated that P. phaseloides and L. leucocephala have a good nutritive value during both wet and dry seasons. Further studies on feeding trials are needed to quantify the animal responses when offered these legume forages.

This study was carried out to evaluate the potential nutritive value of commonly found grasses collected at native pasture in West Sumatra, Indonesia during dry and rainy seasons. Variables measured included chemical composition, in vitro digestibility, concentration of Ca, P and Mg, gas production and metabolizable energy (ME) content of the grasses. The results showed that species and season had significant effect on chemical composition and mineral concentration. Crude protein content in the dry season ranged from 6.5% (B. decumbens) to 14.4% (P. maximum) and increased slightly from 7.8% (B. decumbens) to 14. 8% (A. compressus) in the rainy season. Data on fiber fraction showed that grass contained more NDF, ADF and ADL in dry season than in rainy season. Data on mineral concentration showed that C. plectostachyus and P. maximum in dry season had higher Ca than those of other species, while in rainy season P. maximum had highest Ca concentration. In dry season, the DMD varied from 50. 4% (P. purpuphoides) to 59.1% (P. purpureum), while in rainy season ranged from 50.3% (A. gayanus) to 61.8% (P. purpureum). The potential and rate of gas production were significantly (p<0.05) affected by species and season. During dry season, potential of gas production ranged from 21.8 ml/200 mg (A. compressus) to 45.1 ml/200 mg (C. plectostachyus), while in rainy season it varied from 35.6 ml/200 mg (A. gayanus) to 47.5 ml/200 mg (P. purpureum). ME content of grasses varied from 6.0 to 8.3 MJ/kg in dry season and increased slightly from 6.4 to 8.6 MJ/kg in rainy season. Both in dry and rainy seasons, the highest ME content was occurred in P. purpureum and C. plectostachyus. In conclusion, nutritive value of the observed grasses in West Sumatra, Indonesia was relatively higher during rainy season compared with dry season. Pennisetum purpureum and Cynodon plectostachyus had the best nutritive value in both dry and rainy seasons.

This study aims to (1) identify the factors affecting the production of oil palm cultivation business by the smallholders and (2) identify the technical level as well as factors infl uencing business ineffi ciency of oil palm cultivation by the smallholders in Air Sugihan Sub District of Ogan Komering Ilir Regency, South Sumatera Province. This research uses the basic method of analytical descriptive method. The data were collected by way of observation and direct interviews in the fi eld guided by a questionnaire. The research location was determined purposively, that is in Pangkalan Damai Village, Air Sugihan Sub-district, Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality, South Sumatera Province. Sampling was conducted using non probabilistic sampling method (purposive sampling). The research investigated 79 smallholder farmers of oil palm cultivation in Pangkalan Damai village of Air Sugihan Sub-district, Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality, South Sumatera Province.. On the basis of the analysis, it is revealed that (1) the factors affecting the increase of palm production were labor, land area, TSP fertilizer, NPK fertilizer, organic fertilizer, herbicides and insecticides which also have an effect on decreasing palm production. (2) Palm plantation business was technically effi cient with the average technical level of smallholder palm farmers in Air Sugihan Sub-district of Ogan Komering Ilir Municipality of 0.86090. Factors that decrease the technical ineffi ciency in smallholder palm cultivation in Air Sugihan Sub-district of Ogan Komering Ilir Regency were farmers' education level . This information can be used by the goverment to improve technical effi ciency through education in the form of counseling and training to increase production. INTISARIPenelitian ini bertujuan (1) mengetahui faktor yang mempengaruhi produksi usaha perkebunan kelapa sawit rakyat dan (2) mengetahui tingkat efi siensi teknis serta faktor yang mempengaruhi inefi siensi usaha perkebunan kelapa sawit rakyat di Kecamatan Air Sugihan Kabupaten Ogan Komering Ilir Provinsi Sumatera Selatan. Metode dasar yang digunakan

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