The livestock and agriculture industry contributed IDR 1,672.25 trillion, 9.9% of Indonesia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021.
However, according to data from the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture crisis center, until October 15, 2023, there were 615,444 cases of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in livestock in 27 out of 38 provinces in Indonesia.
This has raised concerns among farmers because FMD can reduce productivity and even cause livestock deaths.
In response, five UGM students took the initiative to create a livestock supplement, especially for cows.
The five students are Muhammad Farhan Pudi Hastawa, Muhammad Ridwan Adyatama, and Aulia Nisa Azzahra from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Salsabila Qatrunnisa Balqis and Amanda Putri Ayuningtyas from the Faculty of Economics and Business, and Dr. Vista Budiariati, as the supervising lecturer.
Farhan Hastawa, in his statement to reporters on Monday (November 20), said that the supplement they developed is named Simagen, which is an abbreviation of the main ingredients used, namely sodium aluminosilicate, BSF maggots, and collagen, which have various benefits for livestock.
“As the name suggests, Simagen is created to boost the immunity of cows to prevent the spread of FMD and the resulting losses,” he said.
He added that Simagen supplement can be used for cows and other cloven-hoofed animals such as goats and horses.
The advantage of this supplement product is its ability to enhance the immunity of livestock and optimize the effectiveness of the vaccinations they have received.
“With this product, we hope to help farmers reduce the number of livestock infected with FMD and the losses it causes,” he explained.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Image: Freepik