ABSTRACT

                A study was conducted to compare ammoniated rice straw ration to native grass for local beef cattle production in low land rice based-farming zone. Results showed that cattle fed with ammoniated rice straw has lower weight gain,  feed consumption and  feed conversion compared to those fed native grass.  

INTRODUCTION

The beef cattle industry in Indonesia needs to be enhanced in order to reduce the importation of cattle that had increased to 400,000 heads in the recent years (Sudradjat 2000). Most of the country’s cattle are integrated with irrigated farming system zone as a source of draught power.   However, the low feed supply is the most critical problem in irrigated rice-based farming, the use of non-conventional agricultural residues as local feed stuffs should also be given strict priority. Rice straw is by far the most abundant of the fibrous feed residues in Indonesia from approximately 9 million ha cultivated to rice, which produces an estimated 72 million tons of rice straw (Nari 1985).  

At present the huge amount of rice straw remains as waste in the field.  Rice straw is a low quality feed, however, the improved ammoniated rice straw is one of the alternative technologies that can be adopted for beef cattle production in low land rice based-farming zone (Winugroho 1987).

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the research was to study the adaptability of ammoniated rice straw for local beef cattle on biophysical and socio-economic condition in low land rice based-farming zone.

METHODOLOGY

The research was conducted in Matani Sub District of Tumpaan, North Sulawesi from September to December 1999.  The technology involved the used of rice straw 6 kg urea per 100 kg DM of rice straw. Treated straw was fermented for over one month (Winugroho 1987).  Seven (7) cattle with an average body weight of 101 kg was randomly assigned into 2 groups of diet treatments; three cattle for native grass basal diet and four cattle for ammoniated rice straw basal diet. The animals were raised in individual pens.

The adaptation period for acclimatization was two weeks and one week for preliminary feeding period. All animals were given concentrate of rice bran – coconut waste biscuit mixture at1 kg per head per day. All animals were treated against endo and ecto-parasites. Feed consumption was measured daily and body weight was taken every 2 weeks.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Feed consumption
The average DM consumption of cattle fed with grass was 3.517 kg/hd /day while those fed with ammoniated rice straw was 2.86 kg/hd/day. Feed consumed by cattle on ammoniated rice straw was less than the standard requirement, 3% of body weight but not statistically significant. DM intake was attributed to the low palatability of ammoniated rice straw.

Cattle performance
Table 1 shows the performance of beef cattle fed with grass and ammoniated rice straw.

Average daily gain/head of animals fed with grass resulted to 0.33 kg was higher than ammoniated rice straw feed group with 0.27 kg but not significantly different (P< 0.05).  Feed conversion ratio of the group was also not significantly different.

Table 1. Performance of beef cattle fed ammoniated rice straw.

	Treatments
	Grass	Ammoniated rice straw
Daily gain g/head/day DM consumption of feed, g/head/day Feed conversion ratio	0.33 3.52 10.7	0.270 2.862 10.60

It implies that the technology of ammoniated rice straw is an adaptable alternative feed in field when native grass is difficult to obtain.

Socio-economic and adoption analysis
Partial gross margin analysis (Soekartawi et al. 1989) of two groups of cattle showed that grass feed was higher than ammoniated rice straw (Rp 85.580 s. 27.757 /head/98 days observation). Manure as an important material for composting organic fertilizer that has great prospect in contemporary organic farming technology was not analyzed very well. The mixed crop-livestock farming system is possible in improving paddy based-farming.

Nari, J. 1985. Agroindustrial by-product as animal feed in Indonesia. Proc. of AFFAR Bogor.

Sudradjat, S. 2000. Agribisnis Peternakan Menunjang Ketahanan Pangan Nasional. Proc. Sem. Nas. Peternakan dan Veteriner. Puslitbangnak, Bogor.

Soekartawi, A. Soehardjo, J.L. Dillon, dan J.B. Hardaker. 1986. Ilmu Usahatani dan Pengembangan Petani Kecil. Cet. 3, Jakarta.

Winugroho, M. 1991. Pedoman Cara Pemanfaatan Jerami Padi pada Pakan Ruminansia. Puslitbangnak Litbang Pertanian, Bogor.

Van Soest, P.J. 1994. Nutritional Ecology of the Ruminant. 2nd ed. Comstock Pub. Associates Cornell Univ. Press, London.