Minister of Research and Technology, Prof. Bambang Permadi Soemantri Brodjonegoro, Ph.D., visited the Livestock Workshop and Center of Excellence at the Faculty of Animal Science at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Jambakan village, Bayat District, Klaten Regency, Central Java on Wednesday (12/18). The visit was done to review the cattle breeding cage facilities from the collaboration of UGM and PT Widodo Makmur Perkasa (WMP).
Dean of the Faculty of Animal Science UGM, Prof. Dr. Ir. Ali Agus, DAA, DEA, IPU, Asean.Eng., in a press release sent on Friday (12/27) said that a cattle breeding cage with complete industry-standard facilities was built in the context of joint research to improve the quality of livestock, which is experiencing malnutrition and poor growth. “We have worked together for 20 years,” he said.
This cattle repair shop, according to Ali Agus, uses a multifunctional feed additive formula that contains minerals, immunomodulatory vitamins and herbal extracts. In this research Gama Cattle (also known as “Lembu Gama”).
“Gama Cattle is a composite breed of 3 cattle types: Brahman cattle which are adaptive for the tropics, Belgian Blue cattle that are large and have double muscles, and Wagyu cattle whose meat is tender and juicy,” he said.
He said that Gama Cattle had reached the triple composite stage with a population of 28. According to him, his oldest male Belgian Blue cross could weigh almost 1 ton at 36 months. While at the age of 20 months it weighs 550 kg, some are almost 600 kg. “The male, 31 months old reaches 730 kg, or twice the weight of a local cow,” he explained.
According to Ali Agus, Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro supported that the cattle workshop also partnered with farmers and private partners to overcome the growth problems in livestock.
On the occasion, said Ali Agus, Ministry of Research and Technology plans to assist in funding research on the development of the composite Gama Cattle, through the development of F2 and F3 of the composite. However, the Minister of Research and Technology requested that UGM not only cooperates with the WMP, but could also involve other private actors. Thus, beef production can be greater, reducing imports and accelerating the achievement of beef self-sufficiency.
Sources: https://ugm.ac.id/id/berita/18902-menristek-tinjau-kandang-budi-daya-lembu-gama
