Cattle production system in semi-arid area of Timor Island

Abstract

Since Cattle introduced in Semi Area of East Nusa Tenggara (ENT), Bali Cattle in Timor Island is considered as the most productive cattle in terms of population. In the last 10 years Bali cattle in West Timor (Indonesia) is around 550,000 – 980,000 head, however the quality/performance of Bali cattle is considered degraded and also native vegetation continuing depleted. Until recently, forage is the main limitation for cattle production in semi-arid region of Timor. This paper discusses cattle farming development in semi-arid region of ENT, how to address the forage shortage and farmers’ response to the introduced cattle-forage innovations. The data and information were mainly taken from the collaboration research program of ACIAR and AIAT-NTT, particularly in Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala Var. Tarramba) development. The study revealed that traditional cattle farming relies on grazing land and abandoned/fallow land during dry season for forage. Fattening systems practiced mainly in the area or farmers that have enough forage, particularly Leucaena. Farmer’s plant Leucaena as part of local agroforestry and or integrated forage into maize farming as main strategy to overcome forage shortage problem. Farmers considered innovation related Leucaena as the best innovation/approach to improve cattle farming in semi-arid area. It is concluded that introduced forage legume, particularly Leucaena in semi-arid areas have increased carrying capacity of pastureland, improved soil fertility and decreased shifting cultivation or encourage more permanent crop land.