TERMITES, ANIMAL DESTRUCTION - TRIGGER PRODUCTIVITY OF BALI CATTLE

The public recognizes termites as insects / destructive pests that cause various losses, especially for woody materials or community settlements. But actually, termites have a very high diversity of species, which is only a small part that causes damage even when only in terms of termite activity directly in an effort to meet the needs of feed. On the other hand, termites are actually guardians of the balance of nature. As a decomposer that will decompose complex compounds into simpler compounds. Breaking down components that are not able to be broken down by digestive enzymes in general, but with microbes and their enzymes, activities that are impossible to carry out can be easily completed by termites. Piles of organic waste that are piled up to tons, will easily be "earthly waters" by termites.
In fact, termites are no different from ruminants. Termites have digestive organs (intestines) that contain microorganisms. Like the ruminant rumen, the presence of microorganisms in the termite digestive tract is a form of beneficial interaction (symbiotic mutualism). Termites provide anaerobic protection and food for microorganisms. On the other hand, microorganisms contribute cellulase and / or other fiber-degrading enzymes for termite digestion. Termites degrade woody components (crude fiber) by producing various fiber-degrading enzymes (fibrolytes) and are assisted by symbionic organisms in their digestive tract (Watanabe et al., 1998; Ohkuma, 2003; Mudita. 2019). Termites are known as micoruminan because of the presence of microbes / microorganisms in the digestive tract (especially intestine) of termites that have similarities with rumen microbes in ruminants. Watanabe et al. (1998) even revealed that body cells, saliva, digestive tract and termite nests contain various fiber-degrading enzymes. Purwadaria et al. (2003a, b and 2004) stated that the digestive tract of termites contains microbes (bacteria, protozoa or fungi), producing cellulase enzyme complexes, namely endo-β-D-1.4-glucanase / CMC-ase, aviselase, exogluousase and β-D-14- glucosidase, and hemicellulase (endo-1,4-β-xylanase and β-D-1,4-mannanase enzyme). Kamsani et al. (2015) revealed that some bacterial isolates such as Bacillus sp. B1, Bacillus sp. B2 and Brevibacillus sp. Br3 produces lignocellulase enzymes (endogluxase, exogluxase, β-glucosidase, xylanase, lignin-peroxidase, Manganese-peroxidase and lacage) with high enzyme activity.
The results of Mudita 2012 - 2019 research also showed that termites have various types of lignocellulosic degrading bacteria (lignocellulolytic bacteria). Mudita successfully isolated 10 isolates of lignocellulolytic bacteria, 7 lignolytic bacteria, 9 cellulolytic bacteria and 10 xylanolytic bacteria, of which 4 bacterial isolates were Aneurinibacillus sp. strain BT4LS, Aneurinibacillus sp. strain BT5LG, Bacillus sp. strain BT3CL and Bacillus sp. BT8XY strain is a superior isolate of lignocellulose, lignin, cellulose and xylanose degrading agents with enzyme activity and high lignocellulosic degradation ability of the substrate. Utilization of these bacterial isolates combined with superior bacterial isolates from rumen of bali cattle is able to produce superior inoculants / biocatalysts that degrade substrate originating from agricultural waste rich in lignocellulosic compounds. Inoculant with the formula BR23T14 formulated from lignolytic bacteria (Bacillus subtilis strain BR4LG) and cellulolytic (Bacillus subtilis strain BR2CL) from bali cattle rumen fluid and lignocellulolytic bacterial isolates (Aneurinibacillus sp. BT4LS strain) and silanolitic (Bacillus sp. BTX) strain from bali cattle rumen fluid and isolates of lignocellulolytic bacteria (Aneurinibacillus sp. BT4LS strain) and silanolytic strain (Bacillus sp. BTX) from the bali cattle's rumen fluid and isolates of lignocellulolytic bacteria (Aneurinibacillus sp. BT4LS strain) and silanolytic strain (Bacillus sp. able to produce inokuan with high quality and effectiveness as a starter for feed ingredients from agricultural waste.
Utilization of BR23T14 inoculant in the development of bali cattle farms that were given agricultural waste rations was able to increase the consumption of dietary nutrients, increase rumen bacterial population, production of VFA, NNH3, rumen microbial protein synthesis and with lower protozoa populations, increase digestibility of nutrients and lignocellulosic ration fiber, increase blood glucose levels, nutrient deposition, weight gain, efficiency in ration utilization and reduce emissions of rumen fermentation (CO2 and CH4), fecal and urine ammonia emissions
It is undeniable, although termites are destructive animals, but their existence has a million benefits, one of which is as a trigger for increased productivity of Bali cows.