Income over feed cost of the Indonesian-Bali pure breed cattle fed the formulation supplement of agricultural by-product in the urea red palm sugar block

Abstract

Introduction and aim: The specific nutrients needed for tissue synthesis in ruminant animal’s growth required balanced nutrients arising from ruminant animal fermentative and intestinal digestion. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate feed supplement utilization of agricultural waste ingredients providing specific valuable nutrients in balancing the absorbed products of digestion to meet animal's requirements increasing animal economical production. Methods: Data of dried matter consumption, average daily gain feed conversion, feed cost and animal live weight price of yearling calves in Bali pure breed cattle were used to assess the economical animal production focusing on income over feed cost of different the levels of agricultural waste ingredients formulated in the urea red palm sugar block (URPS-Block). This formulated URPS-Block was fed to the Indonesian-Bali pure breed cattle with basal diets of king grass (Pennisetum purpureum). The unused waste of expired red palm sugar was used to change molasses function due to its unavailability and high prices in some areas. The yearling calves generated by Bali pure breed bull mated naturally with Bali pure breed cows were used in this study. Data were analyzed by a covariance model in the Double Latin Square design. Results: The economical productivity focusing on the income over feed cost (IOFC) of both male and female yearling calves by treatment comparisons of different levels of URPS-Block feed supplement showed that the treatment of URPS-Block supplement with 300 g/animal/day (R2) produced the highest income over feed cost (IOFC) of IDR 18,975.- and 21,100.- in female and male yearling calves, respectively. This IOFC of male yearling calves indicated the comparative outstanding of 6.95 percent more efficient for economical production over female yearling calves in Bali-pure breed cattle Conclusion: This study gives preliminary information on the treatment of the URPS-Block feed supplement of 300 g/animal/day (R2) producing the highest income over feed cost (IOFC). The results may help animal producers in planning strategies for beef farm to keep animals with the economical productivity using URPS-Block supplement from agricultural by-product for beef cattle farm sustainability. Implications: The treatment of the URPS-Block feed supplement of 300 g/animal/day (R2) could be used as the first rank choice of the highest feed supplement, followed by the treatment of the URPS-Block feed supplement of 150 g/animal/day (R1) and 450 g/animal/day (R3) to be the alternative choices for the economical animal production compared with treatment without URPS-Block (R0) in male and female calves of Bali-pure breed cattle.