The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya (FKH UB) introduced a method of processing animal feed from corn waste in the form of silage to livestock farmers in Tegowangi Village, Plemahan District, Kediri Regency, Monday (08/07/2024).
This counseling and training activity on silage making was carried out under the guidance of FKH UB lecturer, drh. Gretania Residiwati, M.Si, Ph.D, with funding from UB 2024 Doctoral Service Program (DM).
Gretania, who also serves as the head of the DM grant recipient, said that the silage making method is useful for extending the shelf life of animal feed, increasing digestibility, so that livestock production results can be optimized for the welfare of the community.
In addition, the silage method is also a method that is suitable to use by small farmers to prevent feed shortages during times of famine or prolonged dry seasons.
“With the agricultural potential of Tegowangi Village, it will be even more profitable if agricultural by-products such as corn stalks and sugarcane leaves are processed into feed ingredients with better quality,” she said.
Until now, most traditional cattle farmers in Indonesia, especially beef cattle in Tegowangi Village, still use traditional feed ingredients. Namely with simple feed processing which is only done by drying the harvest in the form of straw or dry corn stalks.
This risk causing cattle to be lack nutrition or even be poisoned, considering that the storage method used has the potential to cause mold in animal feed.
“Therefore, this silage-making socialization and training activity aims to increase public knowledge about the importance of nutritional aspects in livestock and to increase livestock production at minimal cost through silage making, considering that feed is one of the largest costs in the cattle farming process,” explained Gretania.
The event, which was held at Tegowangi Village Hall, was attended by more than 50 participants, consisting of representatives of village administrators, representatives of BUMDes, and cattle breeders in Tegowangi Village.
The counseling was carried out by making silage directly by the breeders who had been divided into several groups. It is hoped that breeders will gain direct experience and be able to practice it themselves at home. The results of each group’s silage making will be placed and stored in the village hall for two weeks before being opened together to assess the feasibility of the silage.
The team also provided assistance in the form of a grass chopper machine which was symbolically handed over to the Head of Tegowangi Village, Kuswanto and the Head of BUMDes Tegowangi, Tri Ardianto, as a form of support and concern from the DM Team to livestock farmers in Tegowangi Village.
“It is hoped that later this chopper can be truly utilized to optimize livestock nutrition in the form of silage, in Tegowangi Village,” he said.
Rokhim as one of the participants in the silage-making seminar and training felt very helped by the socialization and silage-making training by the DM Team.
“From the training earlier, I was very interested in trying to make it myself at home, I happen to have corn stalks at home. Hopefully the results will be satisfactory,” said Rokhim. [Kadek Karma Wahana/Irene/ UB PR/ Trans. Iir]
