Indonesia Bisa Swasembada Daging Sapi dalam 10 Tahun Mendatang
Indonesia Bisa Swasembada Daging Sapi dalam 10 Tahun Mendatang
Research, Technology, and Higher Learning Minister, Mohammad Nasir, has targeted that in 10 years, Indonesia would be able to realise food self-sufficiency. Thus, he asked higher learning institutions to support this target by applying research outcomes in agriculture and farming.
"It’s not enough to keep the research in the library only. They need to be applied to society,” said the Minister whilst visiting the farms of PT Widodo Makmur Perkasa in Klaten, Central Java, on Tuesday (31/1)
He witnessed the feedlot of cows to know the genetical improvement being done at the farms overseen by Faculty of Animal Sciences UGM. He appreciated the UGM that has contributed to the effort to achieve self-production level by building Center of Excellence that can produce excellent cows.
“The government fully supports the initiative taken by UGM and PT Widodo Makmur Perkasa. I’m optimistic that the meat self-suffiency can be achieved in ten year’s time,” said Minister Nasir.
He encouraged other researchers to develop innovations in agriculture and provide excellent species that also have high market value. For cows, he hoped to have a cow weighing 500 - 600 kg each at the age of 2 years.
The excellent cow initiated by UGM and PT Widodo Makmur Perkasa in collaboration with University of Liege, Belgium, can produce cows that grow fast with full but tender meat. As many as 12 cows have been born of the cross-breeding between Belgian Blue Cattle and Brahman types. This first generation will be coupled with the first generation of Brahman types with Wagyu male. The offspring of the three will be named as Lembu Gama as breed composite.
"The excellence of breed composite is projected to yield adaptable and produtive cows in the wet tropics of the oldest blood, being Brahman, having tender meat of the wagyu and double muscles of the Belgian Blue," said Dean of Faculty of Animal Sciences UGM, Prof. Dr. Ir. Ali Agus, DAA., DEA.
In his opinion, the excellent cow type can be developed more in Indonesia to increase national beef production. The character of Gama cow, according to Ali, is expected to help supply beef stocks in the future.
“In short, we hope the Gama cow will be a top quality beef producer,” said Ali.
The Faculty of Animal Sciences UGM also have cattle workshops that helps malnourished cattle through feed technology intervention so the cows may grow normal and well.