Bali Cow, Pioneer Cow from Bali

Bali Cow, Pioneer Cow from Bali

By: I Dewa Gede Alit Udayana.

               Bali turns out not only to have famous tourist attractions throughout the universe. However, it may have escaped attention, as it turns out Bali has a superior germplasm called the Bali cow (in Bali the word cow is pronounced as sampi). In fact, a professor from the Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Udayana University, was so excited to dub this Bali cow as "a pearl of the Island of the Gods". Of course the professor has a strong reason for this opinion, and certainly not just a "figment". Factually, the cow which is a descendant of Bos sondaicus (wild bull) has a number of advantages over other cattle. These advantages include: having a high endurance with high heat tolerance, having a high reproductive ability (with a calving rate of 83% and a calving interval of 379 days), a high percentage of carcasses (± 56%), and meat that has relatively low fat content.

               Because of their great endurance and adaptability, Balinese cows are gifted as pioneers. The proof, Bali cattle are not only able to develop in their native area (Bali), but have breed rapidly in other areas in Indonesia, such as South Sulawesi, NTB, NTT, and other areas. Amazingly, its development outside the region is even faster than in Bali itself. This is all because Bali cattle have amazing survival, especially in areas that are classified as critical. Bali cattle have very high compensatory growth with the ability to utilize low-quality feed sources efficiently. If Bali cows get good care and feed (with a system of kereman, feedlot), the cow which has a distinctive coat color like the color of this brick is able to reach a weight of up to 400 kg (male). A study in Bali showed that Balinese cattle fed wafers in the form of agro-industrial and agricultural-based waste were able to produce a daily gain of 0.7 kg / head. The weight gain can still be increased to 0.9 kg / head / day when ammonium sulfate is added to the feed.
             Back line and white mirror on the buttocks Wild bull (Bos sondaicus) is recognized as the ancestor of Balinese cattle. Some of his relatives (banteng banteng) can still be found in Ujung Kulon National Park, Baluran, Alas Purwo, and other places.

Perhaps because of the domestication process that lasted for centuries, Bali cows have smaller figures than their ancestors. His wild bull has a weight of (male) 500-900 kg, while adult Balinese cattle (male) only weigh about 400 kg.

               As its ancestors, Bali cattle have characteristics that other types of cattle do not have in Indonesia. There is a black line that runs along the back to the base of the tail. Her white buttocks are unique as a mirror. Feet below the knee are white, at first glance it looks like wearing white socks. When born, both male and female, its smooth, short fur is reddish yellow like the color of a brick. This is also another peculiarity. The female Bali cow "carries" that distinctive color until it gets old. Conversely, for males, when they reach adulthood the color of the brick will gradually turn black and then "come back" brick red after the bull is castrated.

According to existing records, the population of Bali cattle in Bali (in 2005) was 590,940 with a tendency to increase from year to year according to the dynamics of needs in the form of local, industrial, and inter-island slaughtering. Reflecting on the previous year's data (2003-2004), the growth was 3.18%.

Resistant to suffer and high productivity

               Because it had been tested in his hometown, and was so familiar with this Balinese cow, the transmigrants from Bali "brought" along with the Balinese cow to the destination land. So it is not surprising that Bali cattle finally exist in Lampung, South Sulawesi and other areas.

               Bali cattle apparently exist in various places, not apart from the various inherent advantages of Balinese cattle. As mentioned earlier, Bali cows are very resistant to "suffer". In addition to its high adaptability, Balinese cattle have amazing heat tolerance. That is, it can exist in critical and hot areas. According to the results of existing research, Bali cattle have higher digestibility of N (nitrogen) compared to other cattle in low quality feed (roughage). This is characterized by higher blood urea levels. This means, Bali cattle are more efficient in utilizing feed, even from low quality feed. High reproductive ability (90% fertility with 80-90% pregnancy rate). The percentage of carcasses is quite high between 51-59% (average 56%) with bone 19%. The meat is also said to have low fat content. Amazingly, Bali cattle are apparently resistant to ticks, parasites that are very disturbing in cattle farms.

Potential cultivated

With various advantages possessed, Bali cattle is very potential to be cultivated. Bali beef turns out not only a matter of meat. Bali cattle are good "workers". A pair of Balinese cattle can cultivate 1 hectare of wetland in 4 days, and if the land is dry it takes 6 days to process. Bali cattle has indeed become one of the icons of Bali. Therefore, genetic preservation and purification need to be maintained. For this purpose, it has long been not allowed to enter cattle outside of Bali. It's a shame, indeed, that Bali's cows are "gone", and only become the past (I Dewa Gede Alit Udayana, lecturer at the Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Udayana University, Denpasar, Bali).