Dahlanuddin et al/Animal Production 14(3):173-179, September 2012

Weaning and Supplementation Increase Liveweight Gain of Bali (Bos

javanicus) Cattle of Small-holder Farmers
in Central Lombok, Indonesia
Dahlanuddin1)*, TB Yulianto2), A Priyanti3), DP Poppi4) and SP Quigley4)
1)
Faculty of Animal Science, University of Mataram, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
2)
Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology, Narmada, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
3)
Indonesian Centre for Animal Research and Development, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia
4)
School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
*Corresponding author email: [email protected]

Abstract. One of the constraints for improving productivity of Bali cattle in west Nusa Tenggara Province is the low
growth rate of weaned calves. Results of on-station experiments showed that Sesbania grandiflora (sesbania)
supplementation can significantly increase live weight gain of weaned calves. The objective of this experiment was
to investigate whether sesbania supplementation can increase live weight gain of weaned calves and improve
farmer income. This experiment was carried out in Tandek, Labulia Village (treatment village) and in Kelebuh and
Sukaraja villages (control villages) central Lombok District from April to October 2008. A total of 21 calves (9 males
and 12 females) aged 2377 days with initial live weight of 122.34.5 kg were monitored in Kelebuh and Sukaraja
villages (control villages). During the same period, 25 calves (13 males and 12 females) aged 2376 days with initial
weight of 108.84.1 kg were monitored in Tandek Village (treatment village) and fed fresh sesbania at 1% dry
matter of live weight. To ensure that sesbania was fed at the recommended level, regular weighing of sesbania
offered by each farmer was conducted 2-3 times per week. All calves were weighed every month to determine live
weight gain. Farmers from the control villages and other villages were invited to a field day conducted in the
treatment village at the end of the experiment. The results showed that sesbania supplementation significantly
increased live weight gain (0.360.01 kg/day for calves in the treatment village compared to 0.220.01 kg/day for
those in the control villages), increased body condition and health of the calves and improved farmer income.
Weaning management and supplementation with sesbania was very easy to implement so most of the farmers
participated in this study stated that they were willing to continue this feeding management.

Keywords: Bali calves, growth, early weaning, Sesbania grandiflora, Lombok

Abstrak. Salah satu permasalahan untuk meningkatkan produktivitas sapi Bali di NTB adalah rendahnya tingkat
pertumbuhan pedet lepas sapih. Hasil kajian di pusat penelitian menunjukkan bahwa suplementasi dengan pakan
lokal seperti daun turi terbukti dapat meningkatkan pertambahan bobot badan pedet lepas sapih secara nyata.
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji apakah suplementasi dengan daun turi pada peternakan skala kecil dapat
mempercepat pertumbuhan pedet lepas sapih dan meningkatkan pendapatan peternak. Penelitian dilakukan di
Dusun Tandek, desa Labulia Lombok Tengah (lokasi intervensi) dan di Desa Kelebuh dan Sukaraja Kecamatan Praya
Tengah (lokasi kontrol), Kabupaten Lombok Tengah mulai bulan April sampai Oktober 2008. Sejumlah 21 ekor
pedet (9 jantan dan 12 betina) yang berumur 2377 hari dengan bobot badan awal 122,34,5 kg diamati di Desa
Kelebuh dan Sukaraja (lokasi kontrol). Pada saat yang sama, 25 ekor pedet (13 jantan dan 12 betina) berumur
2376 hari dengan bobot badan awal 108,84,1 kg diamati di Tandek (lokasi intervensi) dan diberikan pakan
tambahan berupa daun turi (sekitar 1% BK dari bobot badannya). Untuk memastikan jumlah daun turi diberikan
sesuai dengan rekomendasi, dilakukan penimbangan daun turi yang diberikan secara acak dua sampai 3 kali
seminggu. Penimbangan bobot badan dilakukan setiap bulan dan pada akhir penelitian dilakukan temu lapang
dengan mengundang peternak dari lokasi kontrol dan lokasi lainnya di Lombok Tengah. Hasil penelitian
menunjukkan bahwa penyapihan dan suplementasi daun turi secara nyata meningkatkan pertambahan bobot
badan lepas sapih (0,360,01 kg/hari pada kelompok intervensi dibandingkan dengan 0,220,01 kg/hari pada
lokasi kontrol), meningkatkan kondisi dan kesehatan pedet dan meningkatkan keuntungan peternak. Manajemen

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penyapihan dan suplementasi dengan daun turi sangat mudah dilakukan sehingga sebagian besar peternak yang
berpartisipasi dalam temu lapang menyatakan bersedia menerapkannya.

Kata kunci : Sapi Bali, pertumbuhan, penyapihan, Sesbania grandiflora, Lombok

Introduction have been conducted with weaned Bali cattle, six

to 12 months of age, and none within the small-
Bali cattle are the main cattle species in
holder cattle production system of Central
Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara province,
Lombok. Experiments conducted with this class of
Indonesia (8oN to 9oS and 115o to 119oE). In
Bali cattle on research stations indicated that the
Central Lombok each farm is approximately 0.2
maximum growth rate is approximately 0.65 kg/d
ha in area with small-holder farmers typically
with a high crude protein, maize grain/soybean
planting 2 rice crops followed by a single cash
meal based diet (Poppi and Quigley, 2009). These
crop of soybean, peanut or maize each year, with
feeds are not used by small-holder farmers due
an average 2 Bali cattle per household.
to the high cost, availability of ingredients and
The main constraints of Bali cattle productivity
technical expertise required in formulation and
in Central Lombok are low calving rate, high
preparation, so local feeds that increase the
mortality (especially calf mortality) and low
growth of this class of animal are required.
liveweight gain. To overcome these constraints,
Sesbania (Sesbania grandiflora) is readily
an integrated village management system (IVMS)
available to small-holder farmers in Central
consisting of seasonal natural mating, managed
Lombok and can be grown on the bunds of rice
weaning and strategic supplementation was
paddy fields, and as such is easily integrated into
implemented and significantly increased calving
the small-holder farming systems in this area
rate, reduced mortality and improved weaning
(Dahlanuddin et al., 2005). Research conducted
liveweight of Bali cattle in Central Lombok, West
on-station suggested that supplementation of
Nusa Tenggara (Panjaitan et al., 2008). The IVMS
Bali calves fed native grass with sesbania had a
has successfully been scaled out to 36 villages in
higher average daily gain then calves fed native
Central Lombok (Dahlanuddin et al., 2011) and
grass alone (Poppi and Quigley, 2009).
incorporated into the provincial government plan
The current experiment introduced weaning
to improve Bali cattle productivity in West Nusa
and supplementation of weaned calves in Central
Tenggara. One of the expected outcomes of the
Lombok and measured the liveweight gain of
large scale implementation of the IVMS will be a
calves, the economic benefits to farmers and the
significant increase in the number of Bali calves
farmers perceptions to the weaning and feeding
weaned by small-holder farmers.
strategy implemented.
The growth of Bali cattle has been reviewed
by Marsetyo et al. (2008) with growth rates
Materials and Methods
ranging from 0 to 0.85 kg/d reported, depending
on age of animal, quality of diet offered and An on-farm evaluation of a feeding strategy to
management system employed. Few experiments increase liveweight gain of weaned Bali calves

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was conducted in villages in Central Lombok, or tethered on bunds or roadsides during the day.
Indonesia. Kelebuh and Sukaraja villages were Calf liveweight was recorded once each month
allocated as control villages, while Tandek was over a six month period and average daily
allocated as the intervention village. The liveweight gain was determined.
treatment and control villages were The economic evaluation of the sesbania
approximately 7 km apart, with Tandek typically supplementation strategy was based on the
experiencing a higher rainfall (1500-2500 assumptions cattle live weight was valued at
mm/year) compared with Kelebuh and Sukaraja 35,000 rupiah/kg (the approximate price of
villages (1000-1750 mm/year). The study was breeding stocks), and that the price of sesbania
conducted between April and October, 2008. was fixed at 350 rupiah/kg on an as fed basis; the
Kelebuh and Sukaraja villages (control). Bali typical basal forages in these villages were valued
calves (n=9 males and n=12 females), aged at 250 rupiah/kg on an as fed basis, and has been
approximately nine months (2377 days) and described previously by Priyanti et al. (2010). At
122.34.5 kg liveweight were given an individual the conclusion of the six month monitoring
identification number. These cattle were period a field day was held at Tandek and a total
maintained under normal feeding management of 60 farmers from Kelebuh, Sukaraja, Sukaraja,
practices, consisting of native grass and gliricidia. Ubung, Gontoran, Jelantik and Mengelok in
Cattle were typically maintained in a communal Central Lombok were surveyed.
kandang overnight before moving to the farmers Liveweight gain over the six month monitoring
individual kandang or tethered on bunds or period was determined by regression of change
roadsides, during the day. Calf liveweight was in liveweight over time. Data was analysed using
recorded once each month over a six month the General Liniear Model procedure in SAS (SAS
period and average daily liveweight gain was Institute v9.2) which included treatment and sex,
determined. and their interaction, as fixed effects. When there
Tandek village (treatment). Weaned Bali was no significant interaction between treatment
calves (n=13 males and n=12 females), aged and sex this term was removed from the model.
approximately nine months (2376 days) and
108.84.1 kg liveweight were given an individual Results and Discussion
identification. Those animals not already weaned
Results
were removed from their mothers for an initial
separation period of at least three weeks. Weaned Bali calves which received sesbania
Farmers collected a daily allocation of sesbania supplementation, in Tandek village, grew
from their own plots each morning and offered significantly faster (0.360.01 kg/day) than calves
the equivalent of 10 g sesbania DM/kg W.d to maintained under traditional management
each calf prior to their usual feeding systems (0.220.01 kg/day) (P<0.05) over the six
management. The amount of sesbania was month monitoring period. There was a tendency
randomly checked several times each week towards a significant interaction between sex and
throughout the experiment and was adjusted at treatment (P=0.051) for average daily liveweight
each monthly weighing. Cattle were typically gain, with male weaners (0.380.02 kg/d)
maintained in a communal kandang overnight growing faster than female weaners (0.320.02
before moving to the farmers individual kandang kg/d) supplemented with sesbania but no
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difference between male (0.200.02 kg/d) and adopt the weaning and supplementation strategy
female (0.220.02 kg/d) control calves. Bali cattle implemented at Tandek. The farmers perceptions
supplemented with sesbania gained 65.02.4 kg of the benefits of the weaning and
liveweight over the six month monitoring period, supplementation strategies were that cattle fed
which was significantly greater than Bali cattle sesbania had higher growth rates than other
maintained under the existing management cattle, sesbania provides a good diet combination
system (40.02.7 kg; P<0.05) (Figure 1). There and that sesbania is a low cost feed that is
tended to be a significant interaction between available locally. The one farmer that indicated
sex and treatment (P=0.062) on change in the weaning and supplementation strategies
liveweight over the six month monitoring period, would not be adopted, indicated that this was
with males gaining more liveweight than females due to lack of sesbania supply and no land to
when weaned and supplemented with sesbania plant sesbania.
but no differences were evident between the
male and female control calves (Figure 1). Discussion
Economic analysis indicated that the Weaned Bali calves supplemented with
supplementation of Bali calves with sesbania sesbania gained 0.14 kg/d more liveweight than
would result in a profit of 3600 rupiah/head.d unweaned Bali cattle that were maintained under
greater than when calves were managed under traditional feeding management systems in
the existing management system (Priyanti et al., Central Lombok. A similar response to copra meal
2010). combined with rice bran was reported by Damry
Of the 20 farmers surveyed upon completion et al. (2009) with a similar class of cattle in
of the experiment 19 indicated that they would Central Sulawesi. Sesbania has a high crude

Figure 1. Change in liveweight of Bali cattle maintained under the traditional management system
(Control; male and female) or weaned at nine months of age and fed sesbania (10 g DM/kg W.d)
(Treatment; male and female ) in villages in Central Lombok, Indonesia
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 Dahlanuddin et al/Animal Production 14(3):173-179, September 2012

protein content (>200 g CP/kg DM) and the liveweight gain response than when it is offered
results of the present work and the work of as a supplement (Poppi and Quigley, 2009),
Damry et al. (2009) demonstrate a response to however it is unlikely to be sustainable. If tree
additional protein in the diet for weaned Bali legumes are fed as the sole component of the
cattle. Poppi and Quigley (2009) demonstrated diet for an extended period of time the on-farm
the response in liveweight gain of six to 12 month supply will be more rapidly depleted compared to
old Bali cattle to dietary protein content and feeding as a proportion of the diet, where a
suggested that these animals have a high smaller amount of material is required. This is
requirement for protein (~180 g CP/kg DM) to particularly important during the dry season,
maximise liveweight gain (0.65 kg/d). It is likely where a source of high protein supplement may
that the supply of additional protein from be required to maintain growth rates when other
sesbania also would have increased total dietary feed resources are scarce. Sesbania is well suited
intake above unsupplemented control animals, to the small farm size and intensive cropping
and the liveweight response evident in this activity of small-holder farmers in Central
experiment may be related to higher protein and Lombok, it requires no productive land for
metabolizable energy intake. establishment (when planted on rice paddy field
Liveweight gain of unweaned Bali calves bunds), is adapted to the climatic conditions, is
maintained under traditional feeding easily managed by farmers, provides year round
management in the present study was feed supply and an additional source of income
comparable to that reported by Damry et al. for farmers from the trunk when harvested after
(2009) over six months in Central Sulawesi and approximately three years.
for weaned Bali calves fed native grass in on- In the current experiment there was a
station experiments (Poppi and Quigley, 2009) difference in liveweight gain between weaned
which ranged from 0 to 0.2 kg/d. Liveweight gain male and female cattle supplemented with
of Bali cattle fed native grass can be as low as 0 Sesbania, which was not evident for unweaned
kg/d during the dry season under cut and carry calves maintained under traditionally feeding
systems (Dalgleish et al., 2010) or as high as 0.33 systems. This is in contrast to Damry et al. (2009)
kg/d when grazing within coconut plantations who reported no difference in liveweight gain
with a good annual rainfall distribution (Copland, between male and female Bali cattle between six
1974). While liveweight gain of Bali cattle has and 12 months of age, regardless of management
been reported to be above 0.5 kg/d (Mastika, practice. The difference in liveweight gain of the
2000; Moran, 1985; Siregar and Talib, 1992) and two sexes between supplemented and control
as high as 0.85 kg/d (Mastika, 2001), these are calves in the present experiment and the
often when concentrates are included in the diet. discrepancy between the current experiment and
The use of concentrates and other processed the work of Damry et al. (2009) may be due to
supplements are unlikely to be adopted by small- the age and liveweight of the animals. In the
holder farmers due to cost, availability or current experiment, the difference between male
complicated processing requirements. Feeding and female cattle supplemented with sesbania
tree legumes, such as sesbania, as the sole was only evident at the end of the monitoring
component of the diet may result in a greater period, when animals were greater than 170 kg
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liveweight and 15 months of age, whereas villages in Central Lombok will firstly increase the
control animals were approximately 160 kg liveweight gain of weaned calves, and secondly
liveweight. The cattle monitored by Damry et al. increase the body condition score of reproducing
(2009) were only 12 months of age at the end of cows, improving reproductive performance. This
the experiment. Previous work has demonstrated strategy is easily implemented by small-holder
that growth rates of male and female Bali cattle farmers and is likely to improve cattle production
fed a sesbania based diet were similar prior to and increase the household income of small-
puberty but different after puberty (Quigley, holder farmers operating under similar conditions
unpublished). The weaned, supplemented Bali in Indonesia.
cattle in the current experiment were growing
more rapidly and in better body condition than Acknowledgements
the control animals or the animals in the work of We gratefully acknowledge the Australian
Damry et al. (2010). Centre for International Agricultural Research for
The good results from this simple funding this work and the farmers in Central
management and feeding strategy can be easily Lombok for their co-operation in this experiment.
adopted by small-holder farmers and therefore
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