POTENTIAL ANIMAL FEED RESOURCES BASED ON FOOD CROP WASTE SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT OF BEEF CATTLE IN WEST SUMATERA, INDONESIA

Abstract

The increase in the need for animal-based food consumption creates opportunities in the development of cattle farming in the future. But the problems in the field are a decrease in livestock productivity such as a decrease in livestock population and a decrease in livestock body weight, this is due to the lack of availability of sustainable animal feed. The solution offered is to use food crop waste as an alternative feed for livestock, so it is necessary to analyze the carrying capacity of food crop waste in an area. The purpose of this research is to analyze the potential resources of beef cattle feed based on food plant waste in West Sumatra Province and to analyze the nutritional content of food plant waste. The research was conducted in West Sumatra Province in January 2021. The method used was literature study and secondary data analysis. The data required consists of: (1) food crop production data, (2) beef cattle population data in West Sumatra Province. Data were analyzed by analyzing the carrying capacity of food plant waste. The results showed the availability of feed in West Sumatra Province 728,195.32 tonnes BKC / year, while the current total feed requirement is only 410,159.32 tonnes BKC / year. This shows the large potential for feed that has not been utilized, and this means that there is a large opportunity for Prov. West Sumatra in the future development of ruminants. The carrying capacity index of food plant waste (IDD) is 2.37, which means that it has a safe status where food plant waste is able to help support the needs of animal feed in West Sumatra Province. To increase the nutritional value of food plant waste, it can be overcome by giving a touch of waste processing technology innovations such as fermentation, silage, or ammonia. The results of this study are important as recommendations for the government regarding the sources of information on areas that have the potential to develop livestock business, which can be seen from the status of the area’s carrying capacity index or the potential availability of abundant animal feed.