The Awassi sheep is one of the livestock with significant potential for farming.
This breed is considered to have numerous advantages and can be an option for farmers to cultivate. Some benefits of Awassi sheep include their meat growth, milk production, and high adaptability to tropical environments.
Professor Yustina Yuni Suranindyah of the UGM Faculty of Animal Science explained that Awassi sheep have relatively fast muscle growth, making them ideal for farmers seeking optimal yields in a relatively short time.
With weight gains of 5-6 kg per month for females and 7-8 kg per month for males, Awassi sheep demonstrate high efficiency in feed utilization.
Moreover, their milk production is abundant, with an average yield of 1.8 liters daily.
“This sheep breed is an excellent choice for farmers who want to benefit from both milk and meat. It is very suitable for development in Indonesia because the Awassi sheep originates from tropical regions,” she stated on Monday (Feb. 10).
Rochijan, who is also a lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Animal Science, made a similar statement.
According to him, Awassi sheep produce high-quality carcasses, with a carcass percentage of around 51 percent. As is known, a carcass is the body part after the slaughtering process, which includes meat without the head, blood, internal organs, legs, and skin.
Another advantage is their ability to adapt quickly to various environments. In variants such as Awassi F1 and full-blood Awassi, the genetic superiority of full-blood rams results in excellent muscle growth, milk production, and adaptability.
Given the promising potential of the Awassi sheep, the UGM Faculty of Animal Science team held a training and outreach event titled “The Potential for Developing Awassi as a Dairy Sheep in Indonesia.”
The training and outreach were conducted at Burja Goat Farm in Lawang District, Malang Regency, East Java Province, and the Joyo Setinggil Closed Loop Cluster Partnership Farm in Karangploso District, Malang Regency, on Tuesday (Feb. 4).
Professor Suranindyah and Rochijan were the main speakers during the training session.
They provided scientific and practical insights into the characteristics of dairy sheep and milking management. Martinus Alexander, the founder of the Burja Goat and Dorsip Sheep Business, accompanied the training.
The outreach event concluded with training on measuring body size, udder and teat size, and tail fat thickness and observing Awassi characteristics.
Partner farmers, academics, and dairy industry practitioners attended this event. The program continued with a field visit to a modern livestock facility.
Through this activity, it is hoped that Indonesia’s dairy sheep farming industry can grow sustainably, benefiting farmers and agribusiness.
Reporter: Animal Science UGM/Satria
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya