BALI CATTLE IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE CATTLE BREEDS IN THE WORLD

BALI CATTLE IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE CATTLE BREEDS IN THE WORLD

By

Ida Bagus Gaga Partama

(Faculty of Animal Husbandry Udayana University)

Bali cattle is one of the original germplasm that has many advantages, among others: adaptable to a variety of environmental conditions, easy to multiply, can survive with low feed quality (Bidura, 2019), has a percentage of carcasses of 56% (Payne and Hodges, 1997) the highest among beef cattle in the World (Noor, 2010) and the quality of the water is almost equivalent to breast milk and higher than goat's milk quality (Sucipta , 2019). Bali cattle have been identified by European scientists in 1827 as one of the unique cattle nation in the world. This can be evidenced by the photograph of a Balinese cow created in 1827 and stout in one of the walls at the oldest livestock Museum of Europe located at Martin Luther University in the city of Halle, Germany (Noor, 2010).

Based on the results of the fewest intensive research there are seven "wonders" of cow Bali that we need to know (Noor, 2010) among others: (1) can survive in marginal environmental conditions with low feed quality and have the highest percentage of carcasses; (2) One of the few cattle in the world whose lower foot color and the area surrounding his butt are white; (3) The only domestic cattle whose color is male and the same is the same at birth but different in adult sex; (4) The only cattle domestication whose ancestors are still living is the bull boss; (5) The only cattle in the world that has the haemoglobin ribbon? Bali as its distinctive identifier; (6) The only cow that has the HEL9 marker and INRA35 the microsatellite DNA as a hallmark of its people; (7) The only cow that has a special disease, namely the disease of Jembrana.

Bali cattle are not only known as the pride of Indonesian cattle, but it is also already a "property" the world to be preserved. Noor (2010) stated that such pride is not owned by some decision-makers.  For examples in the period 2005-2010, hundreds of Bali cattle seedlings both females and males and thousands of doses of frozen cement Bali cattles have been exported to Malaysia. Our neighboring country is very interested in developing a pure Bali cattle on a large scale.

The Malaysian Livestock Breeding Policy (2013) reported that the Bali cow is one of the top 10 breed of beef cattle that was established in Malaysia. The ten breed are among others: Cow Kedah-Kelantan, Kedah-Kelantan Crosses, Brahman, Brahman Crosses, Nalore, Droughtmaster, Brakmas, Charoke, Sahiwal-Friesian, and SAPI Bali. It was also reported that in the year 2003, Felda Farm Products (Malaysia) successfully imported the 987 Bali cattles from Lombok and in 2013 there were about 2,000 tails in Felda farms. It is said that this Bali cattle is very strong and productive and is a success story for Felda Farm Products. Bali cattle were introduced to Sabah in 1956. In the 1960's, a Bali cattle breeding project was established in Tawau which aims to duplication and conservation of breed. Bali cattle also maintained Malaysians in small populations with integration systems under the tree. Natural marriages are widely practiced in this system while a small part with artificial insemination (AI) uses locally produced cement or imports.

In 1989, a cross-breeding program between Bali cattle and the Brahman cross was introduced in Malaysia and to date, cross-mating cows are well developed especially in systems of integration with oil palm plantations. It is a challenge for us to seriously preserve the purity of the Bali cattle and the breeding program.

Pure Bali cattles only exist in Bali guarded by the prohibition of inserting another type of cow to the island of Bali with the decision issued by the Council of Kings in Bali on 25 July 1947. This is strengthened by Bali Governor Regulation Number 45 year 2004 about Bali cattle conservation, where cattle from outside Bali (including Balinese cattle) are forbidden to be inserted and maintained in Bali, thus Bali cattle that exist in Bali to date still preserved its genetic purity.

Currently the government has formally established a Bali cattle as one of Indonesia's original germplasm through decree of the Minister of Agriculture number 325/Kpts/OT. 140/1/2010 Concerning the determination of the Bali cattle clump. For the preservation and utilization of Bali cattle that include conservation, cultivation and post-harvest. Provincial government of Bali also has established the regulation of the province of Bali Number 10 year 2017 in Bali Cattle management and Bali Governor Regulation number 77 year 2017 in the implementation of Bali provincial regulations Number 10 year 2017 about the management of Bali cattle.

The Bali cattle population in Bali Province from 2019 to 607,131 Tails (BPS, 2020) and the population was targeted to increase to 1 million in 2025 by the Minister of Agriculture (Republika.co.id, 2020). While the Indonesian cattle population in Indonesia in 2019 is estimated as 5,991,528 tails or equivalent to 35% of the beef population in Indonesia (BPS, 2020). According to the Directorate General of PKH Deptan, Bali Province is one of the 10 largest beef supplier provinces in Indonesia. To support the increase in population and Bali cow productivity is required a comprehensive approach involving farmers, academics, research institutes, entrepreneurs and technological applications. Two of the technological application approaches are (1) the conservation technology by conducting a directional selection to produce a superior Bali cattle calf, and (2) management and feed technology through the application of ruminant nutritional Sciences.

Application of ruminants nutrition science is very important role in increasing the productivity of Bali cattles. The provision of rations that fit the nutritional needs will be the performance of a Bali cattle in accordance with its genetic potential. Team Fapet Unud has been conducting concentrates feed in Tabanan village. There are three concentrated formulas (A, B, and C) and a commercial concentrate (Megapro) that is attempted in bulls with a weight of 200 kg. The results of the analysis of the third proximate concentrates contain A 26% CP at A concentrate and 24% respectively at concentrate B and C, while the energy level (TDN) is 63% at A concentrate, and 58% respectively at concentrate B and C.

Results showed that the provision of concentrates of each 1.5 kg per tail per day with the basic feed of field grass by ad libitum provides a postip response to the daily weight increase of cattle. The weight increase per day in cows given A real, B and C concentrate (P < 0.5) is higher than a commercial concentrate (Megapro) each 0.64 kg/h, 0.64 kg/h and 0.69 kg/h vs 0.50 Kg/h (Team Fapet Unud, 2017). Partama (2006) also reported that the Bali cattles that were fed with supplementation with only 0.1% can increase the weight increases in daily life up to over 50% (0.76 vs 0.50 Kg/h) than cows that were fed complete without supplementation.

The high weight gain of cattle with supplementation of 0.1% vitamin-mineral is caused by adequate and balanced nutrients in the ration. Concentrate or complete feed with 0.1% vitamin-mineral supplementation contains a balanced N / S ratio, and enough Zn and S. minerals. Mineral S is essential in the synthesis of sulfuric amino acids, and is needed in large quantities for microbial protein synthesis. Meanwhile, Zn minerals are involved in the synthesis of metaloenzymes such as DNA and RNA polymerase, alkaline phosphatase, amylase and neutral pretease (Jouany, 1991). The results of this study prove that it is true that the mineral and vitamin content of animal feed ingredients in the tropics in general and Indonesia in particular is low (Kaunang, 2004). This requires the supplementation of minerals and vitamins in ruminant rations.

Formula A1, C1 and C2 concentrates made by Fapet Unud were also tested on mother cows with a gestational age of 8 months who were given straw-based feed with supplementation of concentrate of only 1.5 kg per head per day. Male calf birth weight in cows fed A1 concentrate of 17 kg by AI mating and 8th pregnancy period, mother cows treated with C2 concentrate with 6th pregnancy period produced male calf birth weight of 20 kg by natural mating. However, mother cows that received C1 concentrate in the first pregnancy period gave birth to a female calf only 13 kg by natural mating method. The results of the study indicate that the quality of the ration and the pregnancy period must be of particular concern to produce the maximum calf birth weight. Adequacy of nutrient intake should be of more concern to pregnant cows because a minimum nutrient requirement is 1.5 times that of nutrient requirements in non-pregnant cows.

Nutrients needed in mother cows are for maintenance, embryo growth, development of milk producing organs and lactation preparation. With enough nutrients in pregnant cows, they can prevent reproductive disorders as a result of nutrient deficiencies. To ensure the adequacy of nutrients in pregnant cows, absolute feed must be provided with forages and concentrates. In forage food contains phytochemicals in addition to vitamins and other nutrients that play a major role in the reproductive process to give birth to healthy calves. Thus the feeding of cow based on ruminant animal nutrition is very supportive of the success of the Upsus Siwab program.

Suryani et al (2017) reported that energy consumption in Balinese cows was 15.6 - 17.8 ME (Mcal / h) ME (Mcal / h). This is in accordance with the advice given by Moe and Tyrrell (1971) that 75 days before parturition, pregnant cows with a body weight of 400-750 kg, the energy that must be consumed to meet the needs of the mother and fetus is 14.1–22.5 ME (Mcal / h). Meanwhile Moran (2005) suggests, cows at seven months gestation are given an increase in ration energy of 2.39 ME (Mcal / kg). At the age of eight and nine months of pregnancy increased energy needs reached 3.59 and 4.78 ME (Mcal / kg).

Energy demand at the end of pregnancy increases rapidly because the uterus uses almost half of the available glucose supply. Therefore, the energy requirements of pre-calving pregnant cows are 75% higher than non-pregnant cows. In line with the development of the fetus and its need for nutrients, the blood flow to the udder increases 200%, the uptake of glucose and acetate by the udder increases 400% and 180% respectively (Suryani et al., 2017).

A number of research results indicate that the birth weight of female calf calf ranges from 13.00 - 16.09 kg and male calf ranges from 15.55 - 20.00 kg. This depends on the quality of the ration given, sex of the calf, and period of pregnancy of the mother (Table 8). Putra (1999) reported that pregnant cows were given rations consisting of elephant grass and gamal with a ratio of 7: 3 plus leaf hibiscus and concentrate supplemented with Zn Acetate could give birth to calves weighing 19.5 kg. Meanwhile Suryani et al. (2017) reported that pregnant cows given rations consisting of king grass, concentrated supplementation with vitamin-minerals can give birth to calves weighing up to 18.0 kg.

Prasojo et al. (2010) reported that the birth weight of bali cattle calves varied, namely 18.4 ± 1.6 kg. Meanwhile Kadarsih (2004) reported the results of his research that the birth weight of female calf was around 14.41–16.09 and the birth weight of male Bali cattle was 15.55–17.11 kg. On the other hand Panjaitan et al. (2003) who observed the performance of Bali cattle in Sumbawa gained birth weight of Bali cattle ranging from 13.8-15.2 kg.

The trial results of the Fapet Unud concentrate formula (2017) in Klating Tabanan Bali got 20 kg of male calf birth weight from the bali cows with the 6th birth period which was given a ration consisting of ad libitum rice straw plus concentrate (Fapet Unud formula) as much as 1, 5 kg / head / day at 8 months pregnancy.

Taking into account the uniqueness and good adaptation ability of Bali cattle, this type of cattle needs to be conserved and bred through targeted selection and rationing in accordance with nutrient requirements in its physiological status. Therefore it is very appropriate that the Provincial Government of Bali has established Regional Regulations and Governor Regulations for the conservation and breeding of Bali cattle.