Integration of Beef Cattle and Food Crops Development in Gorontalo Regency 

The demand for local beef in Indonesia has increased every year. However, its availability has not been able to meet consumer needs which reached 663,290 tons/year, based on 2016 BPS data.

This is because the demand rate cannot be matched by population growth and increased production. Therefore, the opportunity to develop beef cattle is still wide open by optimizing the potential of feed resources.

On the other hand, technological innovation in integrated agriculture is a sustainable system, meaning that waste from both livestock and agriculture can be reused. Thus providing new prospects in realizing environmentally friendly agricultural development. Namely with a simple technological innovation that can convert livestock manure into organic fertilizer to improve the nutrients of agricultural land. As well as using agricultural waste as animal feed.

The relationship between the development of these two factors was investigated more deeply by the local government staff of Gorontalo Regency, Rita Suzana Marwaty, S.Pt., M.Si. The research was conducted with the lecturers of the Faculty of Animal ScienceUniversitas Brawijaya (Fapet UB), namely Prof. Dr. Ir. M. Nur Ihsan, MS, Prof. Dr.Sc.Agr. Ir. Suyadi, MS, IPU ASEAN.Eng, and Dr. Ir. Umi Wisaptiningsih, MS.

Because Rita is listed as a student of the Postgraduate Doctoral Science Program, Faculty of Animal Science UB who is currently compiling a final dissertation report. The research was entitled “Optimizing the Integration of Beef Cattle Business with Food Crops Based on Waste Utilization in Gorontalo Regency”, and was tested online, Wednesday (25/08/2021).

According to him, the aim of the research is to analyze the potential availability of agricultural waste as animal feed and beef cattle business waste as organic fertilizer. Thus creating an optimal integration model of beef cattle business with food crops in terms of increasing the household economy of farmers and breeders. Besides that, it also analyzes the increase in the added value of the integration of beef cattle with food crops in sustainability status in Gorontalo Regency.

The research sample came from 100 farmers who live in three sub-districts and six villages of Gorontalo. The data obtained indicate the potential availability of food crop waste and beef cattle business waste. So that it is possible to implement the integration of beef cattle-food crops with a rice-corn-livestock pattern.

The results of the analysis of data processing conclude that the potential availability of food crop agricultural waste and beef cattle business waste owned by farmers in Gorontalo Regency currently makes it possible to implement integrated crop and livestock farming. They are using the pattern of planting rice – corn 2.12 ha with one livestock.

However, the decision of farmers to choose integrated crop and livestock farming is determined by the availability of the market for plant by-products and compost. Without being supported by an intermediate product market, the revenue that can be received from the integration model is lower than the model without integration. (dta)