Malang, August 2, 2024 – A community service activity organized by students participating in the KKN Doktor Mengabdi (DM) program was successfully held in Wonokerto Village, Bantur District, Malang Regency. This event was led by Dr. Asri Nurul Huda, with team members including Prof. Hendrawan Soetanto, Dr. Marjuki, and Prof. Hartutik, and involved students from the Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Brawijaya (UB).
The activity took place in the yard of the Margo Mulyo Milk Cooperative, with a total of 55 participants, consisting of 35 farmers and 20 students. The main topic discussed was “The Role of Molasses Block Supplementation in Reducing Methane Gas Emissions.” It is well known that the livestock sector contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global warming.
In his presentation, Prof. Hendrawan Soetanto explained that ruminant livestock could contribute approximately 16-18% to global warming through methane production in the rumen, which is released through eructation or belching. Based on this fact, the community service team from Universitas Brawijaya encouraged farmers to contribute to minimizing methane gas production from ruminant livestock, especially dairy cows.
Providing molasses blocks to livestock is believed to improve feed digestion efficiency, allowing the feed to be utilized optimally by the animals. This feed digestion efficiency can reduce methane gas production because less feed is fermented into methane gas in the rumen.
The farmers and students who attended gained a lot of new insights, particularly regarding the benefits of molasses block supplementation for improving feed efficiency in the rumen. With guidance from higher education institutions, farmers can contribute to reducing gas emissions that have the potential to increase global warming.
This activity demonstrates Universitas Brawijaya’s commitment to supporting community empowerment and the sustainable development of the livestock sector. It is hoped that the results of this activity will positively impact farmers in Wonokerto Village and its surroundings, as well as contribute to climate change
