the need for animal traction or mechanization to rapidly till the land after harvest to achieve a new crop cycle. This clearly limits grazing of stubbles and explains the efforts to harvest straw and treat it for feeding ruminants. Cattle and buffaloes are mainly tethered or fed cut-and-carry forages. Ducks are to some extent fed on insects in rice fields, a system in conflict with the increasing use of insecticides in rice production.