Collaboration between Students and Lecturers to Develop Local Feed Potential in Madura through The Doctoral Service Program and KKN-T

Lecturers of Universitas Brawijaya (UB) who collaborated from several faculties, carried out doctoral program activities to serve in Bangkalan Regency and Sumenep Regency, Madura.  The activity involved 10 students of the Faculty of Animal Science (Fapet) who took part in the Thematic Real Work Lecture (KKN-T)  program and were divided into two teams.

The  Bangkalan Regency team  was led by Prof. Dr. Ir. Kusmartono (Fapet) consisting of Dr. Ir. Mashudi, M.Agr.Sc.IPM.ASEAN Eng (Fapet), Poespitasari Hazanah Ndaru, S.Pt., M.P. (Fapet), Luthfatul Amaliana.,S.Si.,M.Si. (FMIPA), and Imaniar Ilmi Pariasa.,S.P.,MP.,M.BA (Faculty of Agriculture).  With student members Shella Aulya Pratama, Ilham Akbar Ali Dzaini, Fadli Sefrian Samwiranto, Ruth Sela Joanne Yunika Tobing, and M.  Rifki Saputra.

Meanwhile, the Sumenep Regency team consists of Dr. Ir. Mashudi, M.Agr.Sc.IPM.ASEAN Eng (Fapet) as chairman, with members Prof. Dr. Ir. Kusmartono (Fapet), Dr.Ir. Siti Nurul Kamaliyah, MP (Fapet), Zaqlul Iqbal, S. TP, M.Si (Faculty of Agricultural Technology), and Imaniar Ilmi Pariasa, SP.,MP.,M.BA (Faculty of Agriculture).  Student members  include Alfina Rodiah, Haikal Abil Fakih, Titis Retno Mumpuni, Meliana Ika Saraswati, and Dinar Putri Ineza.

Prof. Kusmartono said that Bangkalan Regency has agricultural land which covers an area of about 79% of the total area. Where the land is planted with rice and palawija, such as corn, soybeans, peanuts, green beans, sweet potatoes, and cassava.

However,  this condition caused the accumulation of agricultural waste from rice straw,  rice husks,  corn straw,  corn cobs,  cassava leaves, sweet potato straw, and bean straw optimally untapped soil.

“This agricultural waste can be  made into   high-nutrient animal feed   if it is processed with the right technology,”  explained Kusmartono

He and his team will process a mixture of fodder forage and agricultural waste using a  fermentation technology called silage.  So that more durable feed can be stored as a  reserve during the dry season.  At the same time, it can reduce production costs and increase the quality of nutritional content to increase livestock productivity.

“In the livestock business, especially beef cattle,  the production cost for feed reaches 70%.   Therefore, farmers must be good at getting around economical feeding  with good  nutritional content. ” he continued

This animal feed technology dissemination activity will take place from  July to November 2022. The role of students is to make feed, plant feed forage, and socialize the handling of mouth and nail disease (PMK) to farmers.  They will stay in  Bangkalan and Sumenep  Regencies for one month from July to August 2022.

Meanwhile, the team of lecturers starts with field observation, reviewing problems, socialization, mentoring, knowledge transfer, and evaluation. (dta)