Characteristics of Feed Mills at Farmers Group Scale in Supporting the Development of Beef Cattle

Abstract

One of the strategies to increase the availability of beef cattle feed in small holder livestock farms is to build feed industry of raw material agricultural waste-based. Development of small scale feed mills at the farmers group level is a necessity in supporting their farm. The important thing to consider in feed production not only on the quality aspect, but also the economical aspects need to be considered, which can be affordable by the farmers. The farmer group of Padang Tawang is one of a farmers group that having small-scale feed mill that processing the raw material feed into the feed concentrates and complete feed. Based on identification of the availability of feed raw materials in the region of farmer groups generally available raw material feed is a source of fiber with a crude protein content below 20 % (14 of feed ingredients), and it was only two feed ingredients that are categorized as a protein source with crude protein content above 20 % was coconut meal and shrimp head. 