The Brebes Livestock and Animal Health Office is making significant strides in advancing the cultivation of Jabres cattle.
In collaboration with the UGM Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and PT Indo Prima Beef, the office has successfully produced high-quality Jabres cattle.
The endeavor to enhance the quality of Jabres cattle, encompassing both males and females, involves cooperation with the Ungaran Artificial Insemination Center concerning frozen semen sourced from adult cattle.
This entails the joint collection of male sperm to be utilized as frozen semen or straws.
“Expanding the production of Jabres cattle in Central Java now involves PT Indo Prima and UGM. Jabres cattle, an acronym derived from Javanese Brebes cattle, is a distinctive local livestock asset cultivated by the people of Brebes for generations,” explained Ismu Subroto, the Head of the Brebes Livestock Office, on Wednesday (Dec. 20).
Under this collaborative program, ongoing research on Jabres cattle aims to generate young and breeding cattle spanning both genders. Working alongside the Ungaran Artificial Insemination Center, they provide frozen semen or straws, facilitating artificial insemination.
Subroto added that the expansion of Jabres cattle also engages the collaboration of the UGM Faculty of Animal Science, which supplies umami grass seedlings.
These grass seedlings are strategically planted in critical areas and on the slopes of Mount Slamet, serving as valuable livestock feed while contributing to erosion prevention through the root systems of umami grass.
“This serves as an alternative to prevent erosion on the mountain slopes, where most areas are currently cultivated for potato gardens,” clarified the UGM Faculty of Veterinary Medicine alumnus.
Subroto highlighted the remarkable productivity of umami grass, producing 60 to 80 tons per hectare compared to the average of 40 tons per hectare from conventional grass.
According to him, the Jabres cattle population in Maribaya has reached 151, with an additional 16 thousand scattered across six sub-districts—Salem, Bumiayu, Bantar Kawung, Ketanggungan, Larangan, and Banjarharjo—making Bantar Kawung the primary source of Jabres cattle.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photo: Sinar Tani Tabloid