Planning Long-Term Feed Supply

Feed is the highest cost component in animal husbandry with a share of about 70%. Thus, feed has an important role for the sustainability of the business. Planning in the provision of good feed will reduce the risk of failure, including a decrease in the production of these farms. Maintaining the high performance of the livestock industry is not an easy thing, of course, including maintaining the quality and quantity of the feed. Feed planning for long-term supply needs to be done carefully and comprehensively so that livestock business can be optimal. Seasonal factor is an important factor in the availability of the feed. The success rate and the amount of profit earned can also be predicted better.

In commercial business, ruminant feed, especially sheep, goats and cattle, is generally easier to obtain than poultry or chicken feed. Imports of soybean meal have been carried out for the poultry or chicken feed. Chicken meat is still ranked 1st as a source of animal protein in Indonesia with a portion of around 70%. Whereas for the ruminants above, generally the feed can be provided by local food sources such as grasses and legume plants. But along with the narrowing of the land that can be used for forage crops, the more limited the availability of feed for livestock, especially for pasture. This condition makes it difficult for ruminant farms to be developed in large capacities or industry-oriented. Energy plantations with an area of up to thousands of hectares are expected to be a solution for this.

The development of energy plantations itself is closely related to the use of renewable energy, especially biomass, both locally / domestically and globally. In line with the bioeconomy era, the use of fossil fuels as well as for the manufacture of various other products is reduced, so biomass will receive more attention and will be increasingly used. This should be in line with the growth of the ruminant livestock sector and the halal industry in general. Related to animal feed, there are 3 important things that need to be considered, namely nutrition, safety and sustainability. Apart from these factors, technological, logistics and good management factors also play an important role in the long-term sustainability of the feed supply. If all the elements of feed (fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, etc.) can be fulfilled from local / domestic sources so that the price is cheaper, the livestock business will be more competitive. Meanwhile, if it depends on imports, the cost of feed will be expensive and the livestock business will be less competitive so that the output of meat and milk products as a source of protein will also be expensive. And don't let the domestic animal feed production grow, say 5 times but imports of raw materials 15 times. 

Wood Pellet Production With Integration of Degraded Land Use For Energy Plantations, Cattle and Biogas Resources

There is a huge demand of wood pellet and on the other hand also the extent of uncultivated land in a number of places in Indonesia potentially be used for energy plantations with an output is wood for raw material of wood pellets. Currently estimated at more than 6 million hectares of unused land in Indonesia. While forage on plants short rotation species such as gliricidae and calliandra be useful as animal feed  of the cows. For every hectare is expected to be a source of cattle feed by approximately 6 tails. If there are 5000 ha of degraded/unused land it will produce around 100,000 tonnes of wet wood as a source of raw material of wood pellets and maintain 30,000 head of cattle. A large number of these cows potential as a source of biogas to meet the energy needs of the business itself.

The roots of the plants short rotation species is able to bind nitrogen that enrich the soil fertility. The root is able to perform a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in the soil, ie Rhizobium spp. Trees provide carbohydrates and energy for rhizobia bacteria, and rhizobia change of atmospheric nitrogen into nitrogen in the soil which can be exploited by tree roots. This process is known as nitrogen fixation, which took place on that form nodules on the roots of trees. Nodule should much, and when it opened in the red or red-pink. If the nodule is green, brown or black, is not binding nodule nitrogen. And plus organic fertilizer from biogas residue so that the land will be fertile and plantations productivity more can be expected to continue its sustainibility. 

Good management supported by a team of professionals will support the future success of your business. Production of wood pellets can be used as first priority , then followed by dairy farms and biogas and organic fertilizer as a supporter. The concept of zero waste, green industry and sustainable implemented in the integration of this business.