Goats and other small ruminants are considered ideal livestock for coping with various environmental stresses.
Goats are also resilient to high temperatures and drought. With these advantages, goats are predicted to become a sustainable source of food security, economically viable, and adaptive to climate change in the future.
According to the 2018 FAO report, when the population of other livestock decreases, the goat population is expected to surpass that of sheep.
As of 2023, goats are the most productive livestock in Indonesia, with a population of 19.398 million, compared to cattle, which number 18.6 million.
Professor Kustantinah of the UGM Faculty of Animal Science believes that Indonesia’s abundant natural resources will increase the goat population by 3.2% annually and further.
“The development of livestock throughout Indonesia can be done in suitable environments by empowering existing universities,” she said Friday (Feb. 7).
The Head of the Department of Nutrition and Animal Feed at Animal Science UGM mentioned that Indonesia currently has around 59 faculties of animal science.
With collaboration, livestock development is expected to be easier to implement.
To boost meat production, meat-type goats, such as Bligon, Kacang, and Marica goats, should be developed.
“The demand for meat-type goats is quite high, especially during Eid al-Adha (sacrificial feast), and even for export purposes, the potential remains wide open,” she explained.
She also advocated for a Livestock Development Plan involving higher education institutions every five years, or REPELITA, to increase the goat population in Indonesia.
At Animal Science UGM, Professor Kustantinah mentioned several goat development activities have been conducted by staff from the Laboratory of Animal Feed Science in collaboration with other laboratories within the Department of Nutrition and Animal Feed.
One such initiative is a community service program in a foster village in Nyemani Hamlet, Sidoharjo Village, Samigaluh District, Kulon Progo Regency.
“The development of goat farming there is mostly managed by women’s farmer groups (KWT), as seen in Gunungkidul, Kulon Progo, and Sleman,” she concluded.
Reporter: Animal Science UGM/Satria
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photo: Freepik.com