The government plans to import 200,000 dairy cows through 160 companies by the end of next year to meet the milk needs for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.
Responding to the dairy cow import policy to fulfill the milk demand for the MBG program, Professor Widodo from the Faculty of Animal Science at Universitas Gadjah Mada advised the government to plan technical aspects carefully.
He also emphasized the need for caution to prevent the spread of new diseases and the risk of declining dairy cow productivity.
He explained that amid the surge in Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) cases, there is a potential for an increase in its spread. In fact, livestock already infected with FMD are at risk of losing productivity.
“We should avoid increasing disease spread. If an outbreak occurs, it will be difficult to manage. Hence, caution is needed,” Professor Widodo told reporters on Thursday (Jan. 16).
According to him, imported dairy cows must go through a strict quarantine process to prevent the introduction of viruses or even new diseases.
“Currently, the world is alarmed by the spread of viruses that originally affected animals and then transferred to humans,” he noted.
Professor Widodo emphasized that import companies must also bring in quality forage feed sourced from pre-prepared land during the strict quarantine process.
“Cows need food. Is there sufficient forage land ready? How much land is required for 100 cows? For 100,000? For a million? Sometimes government programs make sense, but they are bombastic,” he commented.
“As an academic, I must honestly say that this program has benefits, provided it is organized, structured, and planned rationally,” he explained.
Professor Widodo agreed with the policy of importing dairy cows to meet the demand for free milk, but it must be supported by the availability of land for cows to supply forage and other concentrated feed.
“Thorough planning is needed, and we must avoid bringing in diseases from outside, especially if there is no land for the cows,” he added.
Author: Kezia Dwina Nathania
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photo: Freepik