Fakultas Peternakan UGM Kembangkan Suplemen Pakan Ramah Lingkungan
Fakultas Peternakan UGM Kembangkan Suplemen Pakan Ramah Lingkungan
Faculty of Animal Science UGM has developed an environmentally friendly feed supplement that can reduce methane gas production from ruminants or cattle.
Developers, Prof. Dr. Ir. Lies Mira Yusiati, SU. IPU, said methane gas was one of the causes of global warming that led to climate change, drought, and forest fire. High methane production will also lead to decreased cattle productivity.
She developed an appropriate technology to overcome the problem. The supplement named as PRO-NIN BLOCK not only reduces methane gas produces but also increases ruminant productivity.
“The technology is expected to be implemented by cattle farmer groups,” she said on Thursday (3/10).
PRO-NIN BLOCK has been developed in Community Partnership Empowerment Programme funded by Higher Education Ministry. The supplement contains tannin that is an active compound in plants such as the leaves of teak (Tectona grandis), calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus), and mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) to inhibit methane gas production in ruminants. The leaves are processed to make easy feeding.
Lies Mira Yusiati added that currently animal husbandry has not been run well due to the lack of knowledge and technology. Most farmers in Indonesia still run the business traditionally.
“And so, the pollutant compounds from the cattle is not well treated, which causes environmental pollution,” she said.
The technology has been applied in Ayo Angon farmer group in Ngalang village, Gedangsari district, Gunung Kidul regency. The young farmers were invited to run an environmentally friendly animal husbandry which does not harm but benefits the breeders.
The group coordinator, Doni, expressed his excitement for the programme given by the Faculty of Animal Science. He said this would add to their insight regarding good animal husbandry management, particularly methane reduction issue so that the sector would not disadvantage the cattle and environment.