Energy Plantations: Not Only Wood Pellet Production But Must Also Support the Livestock Industry

The concept of energy plantation or biomass plantation by utilizing the whole tree seems to be still unpopular at this time. But sooner or later, God willing, it will happen because profit-oriented wood pellet companies will certainly maximize this aspect or profit, of course as long as it does not damage the environment and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) will be pursued in other ways. The main orientation currently focusing on wood products for wood pellet raw materials is certainly a good thing, but it would be much better if the benefits of all parts of the tree could be maximized. If this can be done, the benefits will not only be in the energy sector but also in food and feed, important sectors that are essential in human life.

The main composition of energy plantation leaves such as calliandra and gliricidia is protein and this protein element is an important and most expensive component compared to other elements of animal feed. With a large volume of leaves from energy plantations, it should support the livestock industry and not just be thrown away because it is just a by-product or waste that is less useful. In fact, from the livestock industry side, the opposite is true. The utilization of these leaves can be used directly on livestock or processed into animal feed in a processing industry depending on the local situation and conditions.

Large farms can be made from the utilization of energy plantation leaves as well as animal feed factories from the leaves. Leaf pellet production can be done with a production process similar to wood pellet production so that a wood pellet factory adjacent to a leaf pellet factory is also very possible. Like export-oriented wood pellet products, leaf pellets can also be the same. Meanwhile, if a large farm is to be carried out, waste from the livestock farm or animal waste can be used as raw materials / substrates for biogas production. The biogas can then be used for drying in the production of wood pellets or leaf pellets or used for electricity production. The residue from the biogas will become organic fertilizer, either solid organic fertilizer or liquid organic fertilizer. A simple diagram as below.

Thousands of cattle or breeding cattle are imported into Indonesia from Australia and New Zealand and cattle fattening is a promising business in Indonesia because the need for beef has not been met until now. The shortage of beef is met by importing buffalo meat from India and beef from Brazil. Support for the availability of abundant and quality feed is one of the important aspects of self-sufficiency in this meat. In addition to cattle, the need for goats and sheep is also very large. Yogyakarta, a city that is also famous for its goat satay cuisine, needs more than 1500 heads of sheep per day. In addition, the need for aqiqah and Eid al-Adha is also very large. The sheep export market is also very promising, which until now has not been met due to various factors, one of which is the feed factor. Feed in the livestock business plays a very important role or even around 70% of the cost of livestock is the cost of the feed. And livestock is a link in the chain of food needs for humans so that it is inseparable.

Ruminant Farming and Post-Mining Reclamation

To fertilize post-mining soil, organic matter or compost is important and much needed. Land or post-mining land is damaged with a very low fertility level so it needs to be processed (treatment) first before it can be planted. The choice of plants depends on the purpose of using the post-mining land, whether for agriculture, forestry or others. Planting fast growing trees and short rotation coppice i.e. legume group trees is the best option. In addition to the ability to survive, its deep roots are also able to withstand erosion and the ability to symbiotic with azetobacter so that it binds nitrogen in root nodules so that it fertilizes the soil. And furthermore, the legume tree can be used as a source of animal feed (the leaves), bioenergy (the wood) and honey (the flowers).

The creation of livestock and their supporters such as forage plantations is like an ammunition factory to reclaim the post-mining land. The wider and faster the target time for reclaiming the land, the larger the farm required. Ruminant farms with thousands or even tens of thousands of livestock can be made with this purpose. Although the main objective is to produce compost for post-mining land reclamation, the indirect benefits from the farm are no less large. Even from the farm business can get big financial benefits. The main and common problem faced by mining entrepreneurs is that they are reluctant to do reclamation because it costs a lot and does not provide financial benefits. But when the reclamation activity does not reduce the company's finances even provide large profit, of course it will be a different story. The volume of mining carried out should also be proportional to the repair or post-mining reclamation.

To maximize the reclamation, biochar needs to be used. The use of biochar will make compost in post-mining land not easily lost after being washed by rain, maintain soil moisture because biochar is able to hold water (water holding capacity), raise soil pH so that soil microbial activity is more optimal and more nutrients are absorbed by plants, and biochar also will become a home or colony for soil microbes so that it will further fertilize the soil. Meanwhile, in terms of climate change mitigation, the use of biochar in the soil will also store carbon (carbon sequestration) for a very long time, up to hundreds of years. Carbon credits with a carbon sink mechanism as part of the CCS (carbon capture and storage) application can also be obtained. The carbon trading market is predicted to get bigger as global awareness of climate change and biochar as one of the solutions are also increasingly being applied, discussed and paid attention to by the earth's population.

The extent of post-mining land that reaches millions of hectares, the high demand for domestic meat as well as the export market, and the large amount of biomass waste that can be converted into biochar, post-mining reclamation should be a priority for mining entrepreneurs moreover, the reclamation activity does not reduce the company's profit but instead gives more profits. If this can be done, the environmental damage caused by mining can be minimized. Indeed, humans need various products that come from the mining to make their lives easier, but also not to the point that on the other hand the mining business actually damages the environment which will lead to disasters in the future.

Sheep Goat Livestock or Insect Livestock?

According to the United Nations, the global population is predicted to reach 9 billion people by 2050. The food sector is looking for a solution to the protein deficit due to per capita protein demand and population growth. Insects are a source of protein that is promoted in both feed and food. The nine billion people who are predicted to live on planet Earth in 2050, need an additional 250 million tons of protein per year, an increase of 50% compared to today. And according to the FAO, crickets need 6 times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice less than pigs and broilers to produce the same amount of protein. A number of insect breeding companies have sprung up, especially in Europe for the production of protein from these insects, and there has even been an organization specifically formed for this, namely IPIFF (International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed). About a third of the production of these insects is for food and two-thirds for protein sources of feed. Will we Muslims be raising insects instead of sheep for protein sources? As Muslims, we shouldn't have to eat crickets to get protein intake as is widely promoted in the west. The types of insects permitted to be bred by the European Commission for this purpose include only 7 species of insects, namely 3 types of crickets, 2 types of caterpillars and 2 types of flies. We choose halal Thaiban, namely mutton and lamb.

Consumption of goat-lamb meat per capita in Indonesia is still very low, which is less than 1 kg per year and this could be only during Eid al-Adha or Eid al-Qurban. Of course this is very concerning, so its consumption needs to be increased. Even though this lamb meat is the best meat and the Prophet Muhammad liked it. Protein is one of the important elements for human food and more specifically lamb and goat meat as a source of protein has its own advantages, for more details read here. In a hadith the Prophet Muhammad SAW also ordered his people to keep these sheep because of blessings. These goats and sheep are closely related to the Muslim worship practices, namely aqiqah and qurban which are part of Islamic law (shariah) until the Day of Judgment, so that raising sheep and goats also has many virtues.

"Take care (use) by you goats because in them are blessings." [HR Ahmad]

"No prophet was sent except that he shepherded the goats. The friends ask, are you too?". He replied, "Yes, I used to herd the goats of the residents of Mecca for a few qirath wages." [HR. Al Bukhari, no. 2262] 

Abu Hurairah r.a. said: "Once served to the Prophet Shallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam a bowl of porridge and meat. So he took part of the arm (of the meat), and that part was most liked by the Prophet Muhammad Shallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam." (HR. Muslim)

Abu Hurairah radhiyallahu 'anhu narrated, "The Prophet Shallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam was served meat. The leg (of that meat or thigh) was given to Him. The Prophet Shallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam liked it, so he took a bite of the meat." (HR. Bukhari and Muslim)

With the development of energy plantations or legume plantations, sheep and goat farming can be increasingly encouraged. The main problem in the form of feed availability and more specifically the source of feed protein becomes easy to overcome. Thus, large capacity farms are also very likely to be developed, because the demand for goat and sheep meat is also very large. In addition, Indonesia's palm oil plantation area which reaches 15 million hectares is also potential for livestock, especially sheep, for more details read here. From this it can be concluded that in anticipation of the population growth, Muslims should be serious about raising these goats - sheep.

Chemical Fertilizer Plant, Blue Hydrogen, Blue Ammonia and Ruminant Farms

As a comparison of the sheep population in New Zealand with people population of 3 million, the number of sheep is 5 million, then Australia with people population of 25 million, the total population of cattle is 26 million while Indonesia with people population of 270 million, the total population of sheep is less than 50 million, moreover the cattle population is also confirmed much smaller. This indicates that the ruminant livestock sector is not yet a business or industrial engine for economic growth. Whereas in addition to natural resources that support, the need for meat and fertilizer needs for agriculture is also very large. When the ruminant livestock sector is optimized, apart from being self-sufficient in meat as a source of animal protein, it can even be exported, and it will also promote agriculture because the manure is turned into organic fertilizer. This organic fertilizer has many advantages over chemical fertilizers, including not destroying the physical and chemical properties of the soil, activating soil microbes and providing complete nutrients. When the livestock sector is optimized, it is also very likely that it will replace the use of chemical fertilizers or other languages ​​as well as self-sufficiency in fertilizers so that chemical fertilizer plants close or stop producing. The integration of livestock and agriculture will create food sovereignty, an extraordinary achievement if it can be realized.

To save the chemical fertilizer plants, it can be converted into a plant or energy producer in the form of blue hydrogen or blue ammonia. Natural gas, which is a fossil fuel and is the raw material for chemical fertilizers, is separated from the carbon elements so that hydrogen is obtained. Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas that has been separated from natural gas is then captured and stored (CCS = Carbon Capture and Storage) so that it is not released into the atmosphere. And because the raw material for hydrogen fuel comes from fossil fuels, it is called blue hydrogen, whereas if it comes from renewable materials such as biomass, water and so on, it is called green hydrogen. So it can be said that blue hydrogen is still half fossil because the raw materials are from fossil sources and green hydrogen is already 100% from renewable sources. Hydrogen compounds or hydrogen gas have atomic bonds in the form of two hydrogen elements (H2) as a stable compound in nature, and to increase the energy of hydrogen gas, ammonia (NH3) can be made, namely with three hydrogen bonds. Just like the term blue hydrogen above, when the ammonia comes from fossil fuels it is called blue ammonia and when it comes from renewable materials it is called green ammonia. Japanese companies have even made power plants (generators) that use 100% as fuel, for more details read here.

Efforts to boost the livestock sector by integrating with the agricultural sector is not an easy thing. The factors of market access ability, farming techniques, provision of feed, management and livestock business are a number of things that hinder the realization of the vision of food sovereignty. Especially for innovations so that they can be competitive at the international level. Motivation factors, low willingness, low reading and learning culture, lack of friendship for networking, government alignments with policies for less carrying capacity, and so on also hinder on the other hand. But with abundant natural resources potential and strong will, these obstacles should be overcome, especially ruminant farming, especially sheep and goats, is also highly recommended in Islam so that as a Muslim should be more motivated. There is almost no one when doing any kind of effort, let alone to realize a big idea without a hitch, because that is the sunatullah.

Sheep-Palm Oil After Cow-Palm Oil

In 2050 the world's population is estimated to reach 9 billion people. The need for food, especially protein, will also definitely increase. With a human population of 9 billion, protein needs are estimated at 250 million tons per year or 50% more than today's protein production. Insects are strong candidates to achieve the target protein requirement, which can be applied to feed and food. Promotion of protein sources from insects is carried out by a number of countries in Europe. The advantage of insects as a source of protein is mainly because with a smaller amount of feed these insects can produce the same amount of protein as traditional farming. According to the FAO, insects such as crickets need six times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice as little as pigs and broilers to produce the same amount of protein.

The types of insects permitted to be bred by the European Commission for this purpose include only 7 species of insects, namely 3 types of crickets, 2 types of caterpillars and 2 types of flies. A number of insect farming companies (insect producers) have also sprung up in Europe and it is estimated that two thirds of these insects are for animal feed and one third for food or human consumption. Protein is one of the important elements in human diet. Islam regulates this food issue, so that only halal food can be consumed by Muslims around the world. And it would be even better is a food group that is halal thayibban. Eating insects such as crickets should be avoided by Muslims and seek better food such as sheep, goats and cows.

In order to meet the protein needs, there are a number of ways that can be done to anticipate the increasing needs. Indonesia is the owner of the largest palm oil plantation in the world with an area of ​​more than 15 million hectares or more than one half of the island of Java and this has great potential if it can be exploited. The integration of cattle farming in palm oil plantations has been widely carried out and this can be optimized by integrating sheep-palm oil plantation also. In fact, the two activities can complement each other because the two activities are not carried out simultaneously in the same palm oil plantation. When palm oil plantations are replanted (plant rejuvenation), then at the age of palm oil trees less than 3.5 years, cows cannot be grazed on that land and the same land can be used for sheep grazing. The replanting (plant rejuvenation) of palm oil plantations is carried out in turns in the palm oil plantation area, so that livestock or sheep grazing also follows suit.

Lamb is halalan thayibban food even used in worship, namely for aqiqah and qurban. The production of sheep-based protein is certainly highly recommended so that in addition to meeting the protein needs in halalab thayibban food, is also to support the practice of worship. With the largest Muslim population in the world and vast oil palm plantation, running sheep farms as a source of protein would certainly be much better. With an area of ​​​​palm oil plantations reaching more than 15 million hectares, the potential for meat production from sheep is also huge.

Sheep Breeding with Rotation Grazing

Efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in meat, especially for Muslims to strengthen their aqidah (faith) by means of qurban and aqiqah, are still facing many obstacles. The main obstacle is the number of seed sheep which are difficult to obtain because of the large number of productive females that are slaughtered for both aqiqah and daily consumption. Muslims are important and obligated by law (fardhu kifayah) or as a collective obligation to raise sheep to achieve the above objectives. Do not let Muslims can not perform these prayers because there are no livestock, especially sheep. Of course, it is also not good if because they are reluctant to raise sheep, Muslims will have to buy sheep from non-Muslims, even though the number in Indonesia is the majority and is also the largest in the world.

There are at least two things to overcome the problem of the sustainability of the supply of sheep, namely, firstly with a set of regulations to provide strict sanctions and provide a deterrent effect for anyone who is proven to slaughter productive females, and secondly, by increasing the production of seed sheep or lamb breeds as much as possible so that they can keep pace with the rate of productive ewes that are slaughtered. In the first point, although there is  a regulation, in fact it is difficult to implement because the government is not firm and the light sanctions. While in the second point, anyone can do it, so it seems that the second point is easier to do.

The location of sheep farming can be done anywhere, whether in villages, mountain slopes, forest edges and even in urban areas. These livestock models adapt to the characteristics of the location, especially regarding the source of feed. For example, in urban areas with limited land, the sheepfolds must even be leveled, with feed sources especially from food industry wastes. In the food industry, the main product are for human food and by-products or waste for animal feed, such as tempe and tofu factories, noodle factories, biscuit factories and so on. Meanwhile, in rural areas with large areas of land, grazing is also very possible. Grazing will save on feed costs and is very suitable for seed sheep production or breeding. While rotation grazing is a better grazing technique so that the efficiency and performance of the farm is better. Even on land that is close to an energy plantation, apart from grazing with abundant sources of feed, a feed factory can also be built in that location. And basically the more models with various variations, the more regions in Indonesia that can be worked on for self-sufficiency in meat especially halal meat.

In rotation grazing, the grazing area will be divided into paddocks. And basically the more paddocks, the better because pasture can be utilized as a source of animal feed to the fullest. In general to start with 5 to 10 paddock with each paddock for grazing 3 to 7 days then rested 25-30 days. Of almost all rotation grazing practices, 4 paddock is the minimum number to start with. The square shape is the best shape for the paddock, so try to get as close to it as possible. The shape of the small elongated and circular paddock is not good because it is more difficult to achieve an even utilization of grass by livestock.

By increasing its production centers, the problems of seed sheep will be overcome. Of course this takes time and continuous effort. The unused, marginal and critical lands which amount to millions of hectares can be converted into the livestock area. Divine motivation to strengthen aqidah and part in enforcing Islamic law will continue to motivate Muslims to raise sheep farming, in addition to meeting their daily protein needs in the form of meat. The people's culinary shift from protein consumption of chicken meat to duck meat and currently more and more lamb is consumed. The halal industry should also be growing with Muslim business actors themselves. 

Sheep and Goat Farming Based on Energy Plantation

The need for food, especially animal protein, continues to increase along with population growth. Meat, especially from sheep and goats, is a source of animal protein that is a favorite of many people. It is estimated that the world's population will reach 10 billion in 2050 and especially Indonesia's population of 319 million in 2045. Greater Jakarta or Jabodetabek is the most densely populated area in Indonesia so that the need for food, especially animal protein, lamb and goat meat is getting bigger. Currently these areas bring in the needs of lamb and goat meat from Central Java, East Java and Lampung alternately depending on the availability of supplies for each area. This is because no single region is able to meet the needs of Jabodetabek alone. Or if these areas can always supply the needs of Jabodetabek on a regular basis then the business can continue to be sustainable and stable but of course it can overcome the obstacles in the sheep and goat business.

It turns out that a number of problems surround the sheep and goat business including the availability of seeds, breeding skills, availability of feed, marketing chain and so on. Simple things such as the availability of seeds. Although breeders in general have not used superior seeds, the availability of seeds is also a problem because many productive females are slaughtered. This is mainly due to the business competition factor, because the price of males is more expensive which makes female goats slaughtered even though this disrupts the sustainability of the livestock business. Aspaqin (Indonesian Aqiqah Entrepreneurs Association) noted that 63% of the female members were slaughtered from a total of 331,693 slaughtered tails. Of course there are still many who are not recorded because there are still many aqiqah entrepreneurs who are not members of the Aspaqin. In addition, there are also many restaurants for eating lamb dishes, such as satay that still slaughter productive female goats.

Of course it would also be better if the sheep and goat that became the seed was the preferred or superior sheep and goat so that the quantity and quality of meat was better. The feed-to-meat conversion factor in superior sheep and goat is also higher, making it more profitable. And this is mainly the responsibility of research institutions. Dorper sheep and Bohr goats are the superior types of sheep and goat. However, there is an easier way to maintain the sustainability of the sheep farm, namely by reducing or even prohibiting the slaughter of productive female sheep and goat. In this way, the continuity of sheep and goat seeds can be maintained and even more developed. To be able to realize this, of course, requires efforts from all parties. Providing incentives or sanctions can be done to support this.

The problem of skill of the breeder is also another obstacle. Most of the sheep and goat breeders are small farmers with traditional farming techniques. This makes it difficult when used to meet routine requests, especially large quantities. Modern farming patterns must be carried out to become a reliable livestock industry as the foundation of the livelihood of these farmers. Only with this effective pattern and efficient farming can be implemented. With good preparation supported by these skills, sheep and goats livestock industry players are able to carry out sheep and goat  farming intensively so that they are expected to be able to supply the meat needs.

Sheep and goats farming is not only an effort to fulfill food sources, especially animal protein in the form of meat and milk, it is also a part of perfecting Islamic law. The population that continues to increase means that Muslim babies born to their parents are ordered to perform aqiqah. In addition, the celebration of Eid al-Adha which is held every year also requires sheep and goats as a sacrificial animal. Sheep even as sacrificial animals have many advantages over other livestock even though they are both halal such as goats, camels and cows. In the verse (Qur’an 6:143-144), the eight pairs of animals (4 pairs) are two (pairs) of sheep, a pair of goats, a pair of camels and a pair of cows. Rules in the Qur'an, something that is mentioned first has precedence over what follows. Another indication of the virtue of sheep can also be found in the event of Qurban, namely when Prophet Ibrahim was ordered by Allah SWT to slaughter his son, Ismail, then by Allah SWT saved Ishmael and replaced him with a large sheep. Then we commemorate this event every year and become the law of Qurban on Eid al-Adha every 10 Dzulhijah.

The development of energy plantations, which is increasingly being echoed lately, with the main product in the form of wood for the production of biomass fuel, both wood chips and wood pellets, will also produce waste or by-product in the form of leaves. The leaves of calliandra or gliricidia are rich in protein content so they are very good as a source of animal feed for the sheep and goats. The number of leaves produced will also be very large so that the potential for sheep and goat farms to be developed will also be very large. Even to meet the needs of sheep and goat seeds, any import is allowed under current regulations. This can also be very similar to a large capacity beef cattle feedlot, where cow seed are imported from Australia, read here for more details. The focus of sheep and goat fattening can also be very effective and efficient or has advantages such as in beef cattle if it is carried out in Indonesia. Leaf waste from energy plantations can be a potential feed.

In addition to domestic consumption, sheep and goat can also be used as an export commodity. For domestic purposes such as qurban and aqiqah, generally small sheep and goats are used, which weighs around 25-35 kg. As for the export market, sheep and goats needs usually require a weight of 35 kg and above. The export market can be a separate segment and is also basically the choice of the farmer himself. Sheep and goat farmers from Indonesia have also exported sheep and goats to a number of countries including Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Timor Leste as shown in the table above.      

Beef Cattle Fattening (Feedlot) Based on Energy Plantation

The photo taken from here

Indonesia has the advantage of intensively fattening cattle. A number of factors such as the availability of agricultural wastes, agro-industrial wastes, forestry wastes and low labor costs, support these advantages. In addition to the price of seed cow, the feed factor is indeed the next determining factor. With these advantages, Indonesia can focus on fattening beef cattle. If this is done, it is not impossible for meat self-sufficiency or at least meat imports to be reduced. The increasing import of buffalo meat from India should be gradually reduced, in line with the readiness of the domestic beef cattle fattening industry. It takes time and effort is not simple, obviously but must be done.

Import of Seed Cows from Australia, photo from here

Ideally, seed cows are produced domestically, this is because Indonesia has the potential for this in the form of potential grazing areas in eastern Indonesia and palm oil plantations. But the fact is that the implementation is still very minimal or even those who are focused on working in this field do not yet exist. Based on a number of studies that cattle breeding is only effective and efficient in grazing areas. This is what makes Australia superior in the supply of seed cows. The large place and long time in the pasture are obstacles for Indonesia to be independent of seed cow. The export destination of seed cow from Australia is Indonesia and mainly supplied from northern Australia. This type of grass that lives in Australia is also not very suitable for fattening, so exporting it is one of the best options. Meanwhile, cattle fattening (feedlot) in Indonesia only takes 100-120 days with the use of limited cage space. The cattle population in Australia is quite large or almost the same as the total population or the ratio is 1 person to 1 cow, while in Indonesia it is much smaller. Cooperation in supplying seed cows from Australia to be fattened in Indonesia has also been going on for decades. There are efforts to reduce the import of seed cow, but it seems that it will still take a long time.

The development of energy plantation with the main objective of producing wood pellets or biomass fuel, has waste or by-product in the form of leaves. The leaves are very good for cattle feed especially with high protein content. With an area of thousands or even millions of hectares that has been declared, the by-products or leaf waste produced will also be very large, of course. With this alone, if Indonesia wants to focus on fattening, the opportunity to become a leader in the cattle fattening industry in Asia and even the world will be even greater. If that happens, the import of buffalo meat from India and beef from Brazil can be reduced or even stopped altogether. In addition, even when there is excess meat production, meat export is also very possible, including by processing the meat so that it provides greater added value.   

Planning Long-Term Feed Supply

Feed is the highest cost component in animal husbandry with a share of about 70%. Thus, feed has an important role for the sustainability of the business. Planning in the provision of good feed will reduce the risk of failure, including a decrease in the production of these farms. Maintaining the high performance of the livestock industry is not an easy thing, of course, including maintaining the quality and quantity of the feed. Feed planning for long-term supply needs to be done carefully and comprehensively so that livestock business can be optimal. Seasonal factor is an important factor in the availability of the feed. The success rate and the amount of profit earned can also be predicted better.

In commercial business, ruminant feed, especially sheep, goats and cattle, is generally easier to obtain than poultry or chicken feed. Imports of soybean meal have been carried out for the poultry or chicken feed. Chicken meat is still ranked 1st as a source of animal protein in Indonesia with a portion of around 70%. Whereas for the ruminants above, generally the feed can be provided by local food sources such as grasses and legume plants. But along with the narrowing of the land that can be used for forage crops, the more limited the availability of feed for livestock, especially for pasture. This condition makes it difficult for ruminant farms to be developed in large capacities or industry-oriented. Energy plantations with an area of up to thousands of hectares are expected to be a solution for this.

The development of energy plantations itself is closely related to the use of renewable energy, especially biomass, both locally / domestically and globally. In line with the bioeconomy era, the use of fossil fuels as well as for the manufacture of various other products is reduced, so biomass will receive more attention and will be increasingly used. This should be in line with the growth of the ruminant livestock sector and the halal industry in general. Related to animal feed, there are 3 important things that need to be considered, namely nutrition, safety and sustainability. Apart from these factors, technological, logistics and good management factors also play an important role in the long-term sustainability of the feed supply. If all the elements of feed (fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, etc.) can be fulfilled from local / domestic sources so that the price is cheaper, the livestock business will be more competitive. Meanwhile, if it depends on imports, the cost of feed will be expensive and the livestock business will be less competitive so that the output of meat and milk products as a source of protein will also be expensive. And don't let the domestic animal feed production grow, say 5 times but imports of raw materials 15 times.

Learning the History of the World Animal Feed Industry

The ability to create a stable supply of food from livestock led to the world's population developing, community centers developing and cities emerging. The domestication of wild plants and livestock, as well as the use of irrigation and tillage tools, has resulted in a growing population. When the human population is increasing and many people live in urban areas, livestock and agriculture are increasingly organized, efficient and productive with the use of technology and various innovations. The science of animal feed nutrition became a scientific discipline starting about 200 years ago. In 1810 the German scientist Albrecht Daniel Thaer developed the first animal feed standard by comparing the nutrients of different types of hay. This was followed by a number of discoveries related to animal feed nutrition such as proximate analysis systems, feed standards based on digestible nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed by livestock, until 1944 L.A. Maynard published a table of nutritional needs for livestock and laboratory animal husbandry. The table of nutritional requirements then becomes the world standard for feed formulation to date including ruminants such as sheep, goats and cows.

Animal feed into a trade commodity or commercial product began in the early 1800s when the means of transportation and moving agricultural products mainly used horses and donkeys. Horse farm and breeding is an important thing. Horse stops as resting places are made along the route between cities as public facilities or similar to gas stations at this time. One of the important things in this resting place is the provision of quality feed for the horses, such as hay, seeds and so on. This has sprung up a number of businesses providing horse and donkey feed, and a number of feed companies that exist today such as Cargill, ADM, Purina, and Ridley started here, even though at that time the use of scientific feed formulations was very minimal.

Horse stopping and feeding station in the 1800s

 

Feed mills in America are built adjacent to grain mills, even many industries have been engaged in grinding the grain is also involved in the feed industry. The animal feed industry uses by-products or waste from grinding these grains. The first animal feed mills were made by adding a number of nutrients to the byproducts of wheat flour. The use of technology and mechanization is also increasing in number to achieve feed products with uniform quality and efficient production processes. Around 1900 the hammer mill was first used followed by the horizontal batch mixer in 1909. The early 20th century saw many advances in the use of technology for animal feed but the most noticeable and dramatic progress was when Purina introduced feed pellets in the 1920s. With this pelletization, the powder is less favorable to livestock (unpalatable), the different densities become easier to use and increases uniformity. This pelletization technique was quickly in demand by many feed producers so that in 1930 there were a number of feed factories that specialized in the production of these feed pellets.

Around 1940 and 1950 the formulation of feed was more complex with the addition of vitamins and minerals. In the late 1950s progress and specialization continued in the feed industry. In addition, the production capacity is also getting bigger, even in the 1970s the range of animal feed factory capacity was between 200 - 500 thousand tons per year. Meanwhile, large farms choose to make their own feed to make it more competitive. The use of automation in feed mills began in 1975 and continues to evolve to minimize feed costs and maximize efficiency in the production process. The technology and software for the production process continue to develop, including the logistics of various feed ingredients, size characteristics, the pelletization process, the extrusion process, and many other things in production.

Meanwhile, the development of the animal feed industry in Europe is more or less imitating the existing development pattern in America. Grain processing and milling technology advanced rapidly in the 19th century. In an effort to accelerate the development of the animal feed industry in Europe, in 1959 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands formed the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC) as an organization for the feed industry in Europe. FEFAC has a mission to unite the feed industry and establish communication and cooperation in the European region. Even though it was quite successful in this effort, FEFAC experienced quite horrendous problems, namely in 1996 with the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) crisis because it was related to feeding derived from mammalian meat and bone meal (MBM) or bone meal and mammalian meat for ruminant feed. Meat infected with BSE causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans, which creates a high risk to the human food chain. After the outbreak spread, the use of MBM in animal feed was prohibited. This regulation causes a high dependence on imported raw materials such as soybean meal for a sustainable supply of meat, milk and eggs. Learning from this, FEFAC in the 21st century has a focus on feed and food safety initiatives. The organization took initiatives to be globally enforceable, such as in 2001 banning the use of MBM, in 2006 banning antibiotics in feed, legislation related to nitrates in livestock manure, and the use of GMO raw materials (GMOs).

Brazil is a country in South America that is quite developed in the animal feed industry and is currently the third largest supplier of animal feed in the world. Interestingly, commercial feed production in Brazil was only practiced in the 1960s. The development pattern of the animal feed industry in Brazil uses the same model as in America and Europe, namely the companies involved in milling and processing grains such as wheat and maize were also the first to be involved in the animal feed industry. The first wheat bran was built in the 1940s. Currently in Brazil, part of the feed industry is integrated with its livestock, or about 80%, which means that the feed manufacturing industry is also the same industry as the livestock. Another interesting thing is that Brazil also ranks second in the world for the pet feed industry, even though this industry was almost non-existent before the 1990s. Brazil has abundant production of maize, soybeans and other commodities which greatly support the animal feed industry.

China is the largest animal feed producer in the world, accounting for nearly 20% of the world, followed by the United States (17.4%) and Brazil (6.8%). The history of the animal feed industry in China began in 1930 with the first modern flour mills established and was followed by the use of the mill's by-products for animal feed. Meanwhile, the first modern feed factory was only established in 1949. Furthermore, due to the political uncertainty and slow economic growth and the centralized government, grain production decreased so that most of it was for human consumption. The growth of the feed industry and livestock is also very limited. Changes in political conditions in 1976 made the animal feed industry begin to grow again. In 1977 a comparative study was conducted on the feed industry in France, Japan and America. And in 1984 a draft plan for the development of the feed industry was published with outlines of objectives and strategies for the years 1984-2000.

In the same year (1984) a number of policies were also issued to support the development of the domestic feed industry, such as high export taxes for feed ingredients and milling equipment, tax free for up to 3 years for new feed factories and even tax free if the factory was not yet producing with sufficient profit. The first feed standard was issued in 1996, but due to inconsistent interpretation of the standard, nearly 10% of animal feed tests were substandard in 1998. Even in 2007 there was a withdrawal of pet feed due to contamination with melamine and cyanuric acid (which is high in nitrogen and identified as a crude protein content) in protein elements that cause kidney failure. The use of nitrogen from the above chemical is also carried out on agricultural products as well as the withdrawal of agricultural products from China in South Africa, the European Union and the United States. Even America ordered the USDA to inspect all agricultural products from China. In 2008 and 2009 China focused on eliminating the problem of counterfeiting or mixing and the effects of the resulting crisis. In 2010 a revised version of the feed and feed additive regulations was published to further ensure quality and safety. Although China is the largest feed producer in the world, the need for feed raw materials still relies on imports, especially soybean flour / meal to support food needs in the form of meat, milk and eggs for around its 1.3 billion people.

The source and availability of feed has always been the main orientation for livestock business. From the above history it is clear that large farms were always built close to a source of feed such as mills. The role of the government is also very important to encourage this effort. The high price of factory-produced concentrate can also be a driving force for the growth of large farms adjacent to energy plantations. The protein element in feed, apart from being essential, is also the highest cost element, while feed itself holds the highest cost component in animal husbandry or around 70%. Ruminants are herbivores so their food comes from plants, the case of MBM in Europe can be an expensive lesson that feeding from mammals actually creates new problems. Moreover, if the food category is najis/unclean, then the livestock become jalalah animals which are prohibited from being consumed (haram). Meanwhile, the case of mixing with dangerous chemicals that occurred in China with melamine and cyanuric acid was only to deceive the protein content so that it looks high is also dangerous for the health of the human body.

The momentum of the energy plantation or biomass plantation can be a great momentum for the growth of the ruminant livestock industry as long as it is well prepared. Other feed sources can be obtained from the surrounding environment so that the complete feed composition can be fulfilled. Bran from rice mills are also not difficult to find in Indonesia because the staple food of the majority of Indonesia's population is rice. Rice fields for rice farming are almost everywhere, so are the rice mills. Other sources of grasses such as elephant grass, benggala grass and so on as a source of fiber or agricultural wastes such as straw, peanut leaves, corn leaves and stalks and so on can be done by empowering the surrounding community. And when the feed production is sufficient for their own needs, the excess feed production can be sold elsewhere.

Gliricidia Leaf Feed Pellets Factory to Optimize Biomass / Energy Plantations and Increase National Meat Production

 

The availability of feed is very important to support and sustain the livestock business. Easy, abundant and cheap feed is important to be pursued. Feed is also the highest cost component in livestock farming, as is fertilizer for a number of plantations and farms. The effort to get a continuous supply of quality feed is an absolute prerequisite for the success of a livestock business. The supply of domestic meat, which is still mostly imported, is certainly not encouraging. For this reason, the national meat production program to self-sufficiency in meat must be encouraged. The scarcity of meat availability, which has driven higher prices, makes it easy for cheap haram meat to enter the market, especially since there is weak supervision and light sanctions for suppliers of this haram meat. As a country with the largest Muslim majority and meat is an important food element in the form of protein, the development of animal husbandry must also be in sync with these conditions. Farms that are made and become the main priority are livestock that support the halal industry.

Gliricidia leaves, which are waste from energy  or biomass plantations, are a potential source of high nutritious food. The increasing projection of energy or biomass plantation development should also be in line with the utilization of the leaf waste for animal feed. The content of gliricidia leaves which are rich in protein is an important source of nutrition for livestock, especially ruminants such as sheep, goats and cows, so that it needs to be developed and utilized optimally. By utilizing these leaves, all parts of the tree from the energy or biomass plantations can be optimized. Making pellets from these leaves (feed pellets) will also facilitate storage, save transportation, last longer and make it easier to use as animal feed.

 Muslims who carry out the Qurban worship every year will need a large supply of livestock in the form of sheep, goats and cows. In addition, during Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, there is also a surge in demand for this meat, and it is often found that haram meat such as pork and dog is mixed with the meat above. And when a child is born, a Muslim family is also required to do aqiqah by slaughtering 1 or 2 sheep or goats. Apart from that, basically the supply of meat for daily needs is still minus. These things should be the motivation for the development of a livestock business.

Integration of Farm with Biomass Plantation or Energy Plantation

The long and expensive social costs for the production of hardwoods such as teak which require a minimum of 15 years make Perhutani company replace them with fast-rotating plants such as gliricidia. As for private companies, the main reason for growing fast-rotation species is mainly profit. Commodities that provide quick returns, with minimal risk. Short harvest time of wood which is only around 2-3 years and can be repetitive (coppice) repeatedly without the need to replanting is the advantage of these plants. Planting and caring for the tree is also very easy. The price of wood that is only worth the waste wood or firewood also mitigates the social cost of securing wood theft. The use of wood as a source of biomass or raw materials in the wood processing industry such as the manufacture of particle boards or as an energy source for example by processing it into wood pellets and wood briquettes. Hundreds of thousands of hectares have been planned for the planting and will take several years to come.

In addition to the main product namely wood, there are actually two products from the tree that can be utilized namely flowers and leaves (whole tree utilization). Flowers for beekeeping or production of honey and leaves for animal feed or meat production. Sheep, goat and cattle farms can be developed close to the plantation so that they are close to feed sources. Although the protein content in gliricidia leaves ranges from 18-24% or high enough for animal feed in general, so it is very good for animal feed, because concentrated feed usually only contains about 15% protein, but to get a balanced feed is still needed a number of other nutrients . Other complementary nutritional needs can be obtained from the surrounding community by collaborating through community empowerment. Nutrients needed for animal feed to become complete feed are complete sources of fiber, sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Gliricidia leaves with 18-24% protein content as a source of protein, while grass or straw as a source of fiber and added vitamins and minerals.

Grazing
To produce superior livestock products, livestock grazing is the solution. With grazing, livestock will be healthier and feed costs can be cheaper because grass can be directly obtained. With an area of biomass or energy plantations that reaches tens to hundreds of thousands hectares, then allocating several tens or hundred hectares is certainly not difficult. The area can be used for pasture herds. Certain grasses can be planted as a source of food in the pasture. Sheep and cattle can even be farmed and herded in the same pasture field. Rotational grazing is a shepherding technique that can be applied because it is more effective and efficient than conventional grazing.

Single grazing

Mixed grazing

Feed Factory
With the composition of gliricidia leaves produced from each tree reaching around 30% and an average of 10,000 trees per hectare planted, the number of leaves produced from biomass or energy plantations is huge and excessive for consumption on farms. Then it also has the potential to create animal feed factory. The livestock feed produced can then supply feed to a number of farms in various regions so that the livestock business is growing and self-sufficiency in meat is easily achieved. Meat imports that reach tens or even hundreds of thousands tons should be avoided and sufficient from domestic livestock businesses.

The main problems of livestock are feed and markets. When the feed problem has been resolved it means 50% of the problem has been solved. As for starting a business, the first thing to note is the market or the buyer. If the products produced from the business that we do have no market or buyer, then the business will lose money and go out of business. The potential lack of meat in the country can become a large market potential and export market. Regarding sheep and goats, In Indonesia indeed a number of regions prefer goats such as Jakarta, Central Java and East Java while other regions prefer sheep like Yogyakarta. This should also be a concern regarding the target market.