Unlike Honeybees, Why Does the Development of Energy Plantations Get Little Attention from the Goat/Sheep and Cattle Livestock Industry?

Along with the global decarbonization trend, energy plantations are increasingly developing in Indonesia. The creation of these energy plantations has the main purpose of producing biomass fuels such as wood chips and wood pellets. Wood chip production because it is easier and the production equipment is easier and cheaper is usually done before wood pellet production and for more details can be read here. In addition to the use of wood as the main product of energy plantations, by-products that can be produced from energy plantations are animal feed from the use of leaves and honey from honey bee farms. And with the utilization of all parts of the tree (whole tree utilization), the energy plantation-based business is not only more profitable, but can also remain sustainable.

The honey production that can be produced from the development of energy plantations will also be very large, namely tons or even hundreds to thousands of tons in proportion to the area of ​​the energy plantation. Moreover, the plants cultivated are red calliandra whose nectar will produce one of the best quality honey. Regarding the development of the energy plantation, even API (Indonesian Beekeeping Association) responded optimistically to the development of the energy plantation, because in the next 5 years it is targeted that honey production will increase by 300% so that the import of tens of thousands of tons of honey from China can be reduced and even be sufficient, more details read here. In addition to honey, several derivative products will also be produced from honey bee farming, namely royal jelly, bee pollen, bee wax and bee venom which also have many benefits. The motto "Gertakanlah" namely the Bee Feed Planting Movement is very much in line with the development of this energy plantation.

But this condition is different from the world of animal husbandry, especially ruminant livestock, namely goats/sheep and cattle. In fact, Indonesia's meat needs are also very large, most of which are still met by imports. Unlike beekeeping which is responsive to the development of the global decarbonization trend, namely more specifically with the energy plantation, the world or livestock industry players have not responded to this, even though the production of feed from this energy plantation will also be very large. Even the main element of animal feed from red calliandra leaves is protein and protein is the most expensive element of animal feed nutrition. In addition, with this livestock, it is also possible for integration to occur as in the diagram above. Integration will provide optimal benefits and production becomes efficient, thus providing even greater benefits.  

Export of Sheep and Animal Feed Pellets to Algeria

Algeria plans to import up to 1 million sheep to meet the needs of Eid al-Adha. This is because domestic demand is large while domestic supply is insufficient. This is because in recent years there has been a drought, which has resulted in a shortage of animal feed and an increase in feed costs. And because animal feed is a major component in the livestock sector, the shortage of feed and the increase in feed costs will have a major impact on the sheep products that produce meat. The price of sheep and lamb meat has become very high. By choosing to import in large quantities, the government aims to overcome the shortage of supply in the market and suppress the sharp increase in livestock prices.

Indonesia has the opportunity to become an exporter of these sheep. As long as feed is available, sheep farming will not experience significant obstacles. These sheep feeds can be attempted in many places in Indonesia, even with a tropical climate, producing sheep feed should not be difficult. Moreover, currently a number of energy plantations have been created with these energy plantation plants also producing animal feed from their leaves such as calliandra and gliricidia. The area of ​​these energy plantations which reaches tens of thousands of hectares will also produce a lot of sheep feed. It is also possible to export feed pellets in the form of these leaf pellets, and while the wood from these energy plantations is used for the production of wood pellets. 

Source : Hidayatullah

 

Leaf Pellets from Energy Plantations

Calliandra leaf pellets
With an estimated leaf volume of 1/4 of the wood but the price of leaf pellets is around 3 times the price of wood pellets. So the profit from utilizing leaves into pellets (leaf pellets) is very big, estimated at 1/2 to 3/4 of the turnover of wood pellets. Whereas calliandra leaves are usually only considered by-products or waste in energy plantations.

And almost the same as gliricidia leaf pellets, if these plants are planted in the energy plantation.

As a reference for indigofera zollingeriana leaf pellets:

Both calliandra, gliricidia and indigofera are groups of legume plants whose leaves are suitable for animal feed rich in protein. Protein is the most expensive nutrient element in animal feed.

Energy Plantations: Not Only Wood Pellet Production But Must Also Support the Livestock Industry

The concept of energy plantation or biomass plantation by utilizing the whole tree seems to be still unpopular at this time. But sooner or later, God willing, it will happen because profit-oriented wood pellet companies will certainly maximize this aspect or profit, of course as long as it does not damage the environment and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) will be pursued in other ways. The main orientation currently focusing on wood products for wood pellet raw materials is certainly a good thing, but it would be much better if the benefits of all parts of the tree could be maximized. If this can be done, the benefits will not only be in the energy sector but also in food and feed, important sectors that are essential in human life.

The main composition of energy plantation leaves such as calliandra and gliricidia is protein and this protein element is an important and most expensive component compared to other elements of animal feed. With a large volume of leaves from energy plantations, it should support the livestock industry and not just be thrown away because it is just a by-product or waste that is less useful. In fact, from the livestock industry side, the opposite is true. The utilization of these leaves can be used directly on livestock or processed into animal feed in a processing industry depending on the local situation and conditions.

Large farms can be made from the utilization of energy plantation leaves as well as animal feed factories from the leaves. Leaf pellet production can be done with a production process similar to wood pellet production so that a wood pellet factory adjacent to a leaf pellet factory is also very possible. Like export-oriented wood pellet products, leaf pellets can also be the same. Meanwhile, if a large farm is to be carried out, waste from the livestock farm or animal waste can be used as raw materials / substrates for biogas production. The biogas can then be used for drying in the production of wood pellets or leaf pellets or used for electricity production. The residue from the biogas will become organic fertilizer, either solid organic fertilizer or liquid organic fertilizer. A simple diagram as below.

 

Thousands of cattle or breeding cattle are imported into Indonesia from Australia and New Zealand and cattle fattening is a promising business in Indonesia because the need for beef has not been met until now. The shortage of beef is met by importing buffalo meat from India and beef from Brazil. Support for the availability of abundant and quality feed is one of the important aspects of self-sufficiency in this meat. In addition to cattle, the need for goats and sheep is also very large. Yogyakarta, a city that is also famous for its goat satay cuisine, needs more than 1500 heads of sheep per day. In addition, the need for aqiqah and Eid al-Adha is also very large. The sheep export market is also very promising, which until now has not been met due to various factors, one of which is the feed factor. Feed in the livestock business plays a very important role or even around 70% of the cost of livestock is the cost of the feed. And livestock is a link in the chain of food needs for humans so that it is inseparable.  

Pioneering the Export of Hay from Energy Plantation Leaf Waste

The high demand for feed, especially protein elements in Europe, on the other hand, is an opportunity in itself. Leaf waste from energy plantations in abundant quantities can be used as an export commodity to fill this opportunity. These leaves can be processed into hay and then compacted (biomass densification) into large boxes (cubes) and ready for export. Under tropical climate conditions, biomass production, especially for renewable energy, feed and food through energy plantations, is an ideal solution. Wood product will be used as bioenergy, especially into wood pellet product, leaf as an export commodity for animal feed, and honey as a highly nutritious multi-functional food. Millions of hectares of potential land for the creation of energy plantations so as to maximize the benefits of land use, especially with the tropical climate conditions that support.

Learn from the state of Oregon in the United States which is successful as an exporter of hay grass as a source of fiber in animal feed. It is recorded that more than 900,000 tons per year export hay grass from Oregon to the destination countries, namely Japan, Taiwan and Korea. The business has been around for more than 30 years. The mechanization of agriculture and the use of modern agricultural techniques have helped the business grow. A number of grass species that they cultivate include annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), perennial ryegrass (L.perenne), bent grass (Agrostis spp.), fine fescue (Festuca spp), Kentucky blue grass (Poa pratensis), Orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata) and tall fescue (F.arundinacea). 

The difference between hay and dry straw (straw) is sometimes still confusing. Hay is made from fresh stalks, leaves and shoots of plants. Many plants can be used as hay, for example in Iowa, USA alfalfa and clover are most commonly used. If it is cut and packaged (compacted) almost all of the nutritional content is not lost and is used as animal feed. Meanwhile, straw is also made from the stalks and leaves of plants, but is cut after the plants are mature with their shoots or the fruit has been harvested for something else. This straw has very little nutritional value and is used primarily as animal bedding. The conditions for plants to make hay are fine textured, harvested at the start of the flowering season and harvested from fertile areas.

Hay production is carried out by cutting the forage (grass or leaves) then withering and drying the forage, then to facilitate storage, transportation and use, the hay needs to be compacted. Animal feed in dry form such as hay will make it able to hold out until the nutrients are maintained. The history of hay production is thought to date back to the late 19th century, when alfalfa was introduced to Iowa and became the most popular crop for hay production. Alfalfa itself comes from Central Asia which was first used for animal feed and then this alfalfa spread to various parts of the world. Legume leaves from energy plantations are also very potential as animal feed and processing them into hay will increase their utilization including their economic value. In the commercial hay industry modern mechanical devices are used primarily for compaction by making blocks or boxes with a high production target, as shown in the video in the following link here.

Selecting Sheep Species for Animal Husbandry

In general, there are two ideal types of sheep, namely the meat type and the wool type. The type of wool sheep is currently not in demand by breeders in Indonesia. This is probably because meat production is still a top priority and Indonesia's tropical climate is not suitable for wearing wool. Based on these conditions, the selection of meat sheep is more suitable for Indonesian conditions. Moreover, coupled with the demand for meat in Indonesia that has not been met. The demand for lamb meat for aqiqah and satay stalls/restaurants is still largely unfulfilled. In addition, the need for Eid al-Adha which is celebrated by Muslims every year can double. The need for exports is no less large, even reaching millions of head each year, such as during the Hajj season for the dam it is estimated that the need will reach 2 million heads.

Southdown sheep

Sheep of the meat or slaughter type have the following characteristics: dense body shape, wide and deep chest, short neck, and straight back and waist lines. In addition, it also has short legs and the whole body is densely muscled. Some of the sheep that belong to the meat type include Southdown, Hampshire and Oxford. Indonesian native sheep cannot be classified into one of the ideal types of the two types above. Even so, sheep in Indonesia generally tend to the type of slaughter or meat. Several sheep are considered native to Indonesia because they have long been cultivated in Indonesia, namely the thin-tailed sheep, fat-tailed sheep, Garut sheep, Wonosobo sheep (dombos) and Batur sheep.

Dorper sheep

Improvement of genetic quality to increase livestock productivity is also carried out through crossbreeding, for example Suffmer sheep resulting from crossing Merino sheep and Suffolk sheep, then St Croix sheep resulting from crossing West African sheep with local sheep in the Virginia islands in the United States, then Katahdin sheep the result of crossing 3 types of sheep namely St. Croix with Suffolk and Shire sheep. And the popular sheep in Indonesia recently namely Dorper is a cross between the Black Head Persian sheep and the Dorset Horn sheep.

Sheep and goats, although they are quite similar, are actually (species) different. A number of regions in Indonesia have a favorite menu of sheep while other areas have goats. The Special Region of Yogyakarta is an area that has a favorite menu of lamb meat, and you can find lots of stalls or restaurants serving lamb dishes, especially satay. Uniquely in Yogyakarta, even though the name of the stall reads goat satay, the fact is that what is slaughtered or used is lamb. Meanwhile, in areas that are developing Bali cattle breeding, sheep cannot be kept or are prohibited from being raised for fear of Jembrana disease. Areas such as the provinces of South Kalimantan and East Kalimantan are examples of areas where sheep farming is prohibited because it breeds Bali cattle.

Large-scale sheep farming has been carried out in Europe and this should also be done in Indonesia. Integrating sheep farms with energy plantations is a surefire way to create these massive sheep farms. Wood from energy plantations will be a wood pellet product with an export orientation. According to Hawkins Wright's data, from 2020-'21, the demand for wood pellets for the global industry grew by 18.4%, with production only growing 8.4%, especially now with the disappearance of Russia whose volume reached nearly 3 million tons, more details can be read here. While the leaves are used for animal feed, especially sheep farming or it can also be processed into animal feed products such as feed pellets. With the global population predicted to reach 9 billion people in 2050, the need for food, especially protein such as meat, is also increasing as the population increases. Sheep farming and animal feed production are very important as part of fulfilling this food, especially protein, for more details can be read here.

Sheep Goat Livestock or Insect Livestock?

According to the United Nations, the global population is predicted to reach 9 billion people by 2050. The food sector is looking for a solution to the protein deficit due to per capita protein demand and population growth. Insects are a source of protein that is promoted in both feed and food. The nine billion people who are predicted to live on planet Earth in 2050, need an additional 250 million tons of protein per year, an increase of 50% compared to today. And according to the FAO, crickets need 6 times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice less than pigs and broilers to produce the same amount of protein. A number of insect breeding companies have sprung up, especially in Europe for the production of protein from these insects, and there has even been an organization specifically formed for this, namely IPIFF (International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed). About a third of the production of these insects is for food and two-thirds for protein sources of feed. Will we Muslims be raising insects instead of sheep for protein sources? As Muslims, we shouldn't have to eat crickets to get protein intake as is widely promoted in the west. The types of insects permitted to be bred by the European Commission for this purpose include only 7 species of insects, namely 3 types of crickets, 2 types of caterpillars and 2 types of flies. We choose halal Thaiban, namely mutton and lamb.

Consumption of goat-lamb meat per capita in Indonesia is still very low, which is less than 1 kg per year and this could be only during Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Qurban. Of course this is very concerning, so its consumption needs to be increased. Even though this lamb meat is the best meat and the Prophet Muhammad liked it. Protein is one of the important elements for human food and more specifically lamb and goat meat as a source of protein has its own advantages, for more details read here. In a hadith the Prophet Muhammad SAW also ordered his people to keep these sheep because of blessings. These goats and sheep are closely related to the Muslim worship practices, namely aqiqah and qurban which are part of Islamic law (shariah) until the Day of Judgment, so that raising sheep and goats also has many virtues.

"Take care (use) by you goats because in them are blessings." [HR Ahmad]

"No prophet was sent except that he shepherded the goats. The friends ask, are you too?". He replied, "Yes, I used to herd the goats of the residents of Mecca for a few qirath wages." [HR. Al Bukhari, no. 2262] 

Abu Hurairah r.a. said: "Once served to the Prophet Shallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam a bowl of porridge and meat. So he took part of the arm (of the meat), and that part was most liked by the Prophet Muhammad Shallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam." (HR. Muslim)

Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu 'anhu narrated, "The Prophet Shallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam was served meat. The leg (of that meat or thigh) was given to Him. The Prophet Shallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam liked it, so he took a bite of the meat." (HR. Bukhari and Muslim)

With the development of energy plantations or legume plantations, sheep and goat farming can be increasingly encouraged. The main problem in the form of feed availability and more specifically the source of feed protein becomes easy to overcome. Thus, large capacity farms are also very likely to be developed, because the demand for goat and sheep meat is also very large. In addition, Indonesia's palm oil plantation area which reaches 15 million hectares is also potential for livestock, especially sheep, for more details read here. From this it can be concluded that in anticipation of the population growth, Muslims should be serious about raising these goats - sheep.