Kambing Betina Dalam Kandang Breeder

Inilah rupa bahagian dalam kandang no 3 saya. Kalau anda perhatikan, jarak lantai 1x2 saya memang besar, 13cm. Memang buat besar, senang tak yah sapu kandang. (memang malas punya toke kambing nih!). Kandang saya tak pernah sapu, jadi itu satu lagi ciri input rendah. Sapu kandang bagi bersih memang banyak makan masa. So kalau nak jimatkan masa, buat je jarak lantai besau besau.

EKSPERIMEN 'X' UNIVERSITI MALAYA (UM)

Gambar gambar di atas menunjukkan sebahagian dari kambing kambing saya yang sedang dijadikan bahan kajian oleh UM. Taufiq dari Institut SkillTech Melaka sedang menimbang kambing dengan penuh bergaya. 

Ada sesiapa yang nak buat modifikasi/kejuruteraan genetik pada kambing saya? Saya terbuka untuk mendengar sebarang jenis tawaran research walau pun yang pelik pelik dan mungkin menakutkan bagi sesetengah pihak.  

Kecik kecik Dah Pasang Tag

Di ladang kambing saya, tag dipasang pada setiap kambing. Dulu masa kambing sikit 80 ekor boleh ingat lagi mana satu anak, mana satu mak. Takde tag pun boleh ingat lagi. Sekarang dah cecah 300 ekor memang tak cukup memori nak ingat kambing kambing nih. (tambah 500GB memori dalam kepala otak aku ni cukup kot? alah tambah 1 million gigabit pun tak guna, banyak sangat sawang hehe)

Saya pasang sendiri tag telinga kambing ni. Tak perlu bantuan orang lain termasuk kuli. Tak perlu panggil orang veterinar walau pun untuk pasang tag pada kambing dewasa. Nasib baik bela kambing saiz sederhana. Kalau kambing besar memang kena panggil stone cold steve austin datang tolong.

No 694 dalam gambar di atas maksudnya kelahiran ke 694 di kandang saya. Saya beli tag kosong kemudian tulis sendiri nombor berdasarkan susunan kelahiran. Begini lebih baik, lebih jelas nombornya, lebih tersusun. Kalau beli yang dah siap nombor, berterabur jadinya. Dah la nombor tak jelas. Tambah serabut memori aku ni, serabut serabut..

Jadi pasang tag masa kambing ni kecik lagi supaya senang nak ingat. Merekod pun senang.

JANGAN GUNA BOTOL SUSU!!!!!!

Salam para penternak,

Kita pasti pernah lihat gambar bilamana pak menteri berkunjung ke ladang kambing, ada sesi bergambar semasa menyusukan anak kambing. Memang kiut tengok

Tapi realitinya penyusuan anak kambing menggunakan botol susu adalah tidak praktikal, terlalu banyak mengambil masa kita sebagai penternak, dan kos yang tinggi (mahal woo susu tepung/milk replacer – 25kg RM200 lebih). Penggunaan botol susu menyebabkan input kita naik mendadak (masa, wang dan tenaga).

Operasi pembiakan kambing pedaging yang CEKAP tidak menggunakan walau sebotol susu pun untuk anak kambing. Langsung tak perlu! Sekiranya kita masih menggunakan botol susu/susu ganti/milk replacer bermakna operasi pembiakan kita perlu dinilai semula.

Perhatikan kenyataan di bawah:

"Kambing boer saya sekali beranak dapat empat ekor" (Memang susah sangat sangat nak jumpa boer beranak banyak kat malaysia ni, tapi memang ada).

"Nubian saya sekali beranak dapat enam ekor"

Kedua dua kenyataan tersebut saya percaya kesahihannya. TETAPI hanya pembiak/penternak baru atau bakal pembiak/penternak yang akan terpesona dan kagum. Bagi penternak berpengalaman, ianya satu mimpi ngeri. Ianya tidak praktikal. Input akan naik serta merta.

Yelah, kambing kan ada 2 tetek je. Sesuai untuk anak kembar. Lebih dari 2 ekor dah tentu kena bagi susu botol. Takkan 4 anak atau 6 anak tersebut kesemuanya nak menetek dengan 1 ibu je. Pengsan mak kambing tu.

Kita nak 2 anak. Kita tak nak 1, 3, 4, 5 dan 6.

Tak nak anak 1? Kenapa?

Sekiranya majoriti induk beranak 1, alamat bungkuslah operasi, tutup kandang. Anak tak cukup banyak sebab kita pembiak memang bergantung kepada anak kambing untuk dijual.

Kalau 3, 4, 5, dan 6 anak kita pula yang pening. Tu yang start keje masuk kandang pukul 5 pagi, habih pukul 11 malam. Kalau disiplin dan semangat kita tinggi macam roket ke bulan, takpelah. Realiti ? Walau semangat kita larat, tapi badan pula tak larat, masa pun takde sebenarnya.

Saya sendiri dah melalui saat saat sebegitu dan tidak mahu mengulanginya lagi. Jadi sekarang polisi ladang saya ialah tidak menggunakan botol susu atau pun susu ganti. Perah susu/kolostrum kambing atau lembu, kemudian masukkan dalam botol bagi kat anak kambing pun saya tak buat. Ladang kambing saya tidak guna walau sebotol susu pun.

Boleh ke survive buat macam tu? Langsung tak guna botol susu atau susu gantian?

Boleh, dengan syarat gunakan darah tempatan, darah pribumi, darah kita sendiri sebagai asas dalam operasi pembiakan. Bila kambing kita ada darah tempatan, nescaya input kita jadi rendah, output jadi tinggi.

Kalau guna darah boer sepenuhnya, memang kita terpaksa guna botol susu atau pun susu ganti. Dan kalau kita bela jamnapari tapi masih gunakan botol susu/susu gantian, memang langsung tidak cekap!

Jamnapari ni kambing susu, bukan kambing pedaging. Sape yang cakap jamnapari ni dwiguna? Realitinya jamnapari tak boleh dijual sebagai kambing pedaging. Orang tak minat nak beli, badannya pipih. Tapi kalau dah kacuk ngan kambing tempatan, adalah isi sikit, barulah orang selera tengok.

Orait, meragam pula perut ni. Kelaparan ni. Karang kembung susah pula, nak kena guna trokar cam kambing. Chow dulu!!

Statistik alwigoatfarm terkini

TEMPOH OPERASI           : 6 TAHUN

LOKASI                                : BIDOR, PERAK

OBJEKTIF                           : PEMBIAK KAMBING PEDAGING

SISTEM                                : SEMI INTENSIF

JENIS PASTURA                : BAWAH SAWIT, LANDAI, BERPAYA

BAKA                                    : KACUKAN TEMPATAN

SAIZ INDUK                        : 25 - 35KG

SAIZ PEJANTAN                : 40 - 60KG

POPULASI SEMASA          : 287 EKOR

BIL SEMASA INDUK         : 103

KELAHIRAN TAHUN INI : 222 EKOR

KELAHIRAN AGGREGAT : 729

ASAL USUL KAMBING BOER : KENAPA KITA TAK NAMPAK?

 

ASAL USUL KAMBING BOER : KENAPA KITA TAK NAMPAK?

Sebelum saya cerita tajuk di atas, saya nak cerita dulu yang planet bumi secara kasarnya boleh dibahagikan kepada empat zon cuaca.

Zon pertama ialah zon panas dan lembap/tropika/hutan tebal

Zon kedua ialah zon panas dan kering/gurun/padang pasir

Zon ketiga ialah zon empat musim/temperate

Zon keempat ialah zon kutub/sejuk/tundra/artik

Setiap organisma (pokok, haiwan, mikrob) dalam keempat empat zon ini telah mempunyai ciri adaptasi unik yang membolehkan ia hidup membiak dan selesa bagi zon cuaca masing masing. Organisma yang cuba menyeberangi masuk ke dalam zon yang berbeza (macam PATI je nih) dari zon asalnya menyebabkan organisma itu tidak selesa, sakit, kurang membiak, murung atau mati.

Kenyataan ini sangat penting untuk kita semua terutamanya kepada bakal usahawan tani/ternak :

Semakin lama kita dalam bidang pertanian dan penternakan, semakin kita faham betapa pentingnya kesan cuaca kepada hasil usaha pertanian/penternakan kita.

Renunglah sedalam dalamnya kenyataan tersebut.

Ok masuk cerita asal usul kambing boer.

Kambing boer ni asalnya dari afrika selatan, bukannya australia. Negara Afrika Selatan berada dalam zon panas dan kering. Banyak gurun, padang pasir, sangat kurang hujan dan air. Cuaca dan tanah sebegini kurang sesuai untuk pertanian tapi sesuai pula untuk penternakan.

Dah lama usaha nak mencipta baka boer ni, dari tahun 1900 lagi. Lama betul, memang banyak onak dan ranjau yang ditempuhi selama berdekad dekad sebelum dapat wujudkan baka boer ni. Baka boer adalah daripada kacukan baka pribumi kaum Namaqua, Bantu, dan Fooku dengan baka angora serta baka kambing susu eropah. Kaum kaum pribumi ni dan binatang ternakan milik mereka dah lama hidup di situ, dah mempunyai ciri adaptasi unik yang membolehkan mereka hidup selesa dan membiak generasi demi generasi dalam zon panas dan kering (arid).

Saya ulang sekali lagi.

Baka boer adalah daripada kacukan baka pribumi kaum Namaqua, Bantu, dan Fooku dengan baka angora serta baka kambing susu eropah.

Saya ulang sekali lagi.

Baka boer adalah daripada kacukan baka pribumi kaum Namaqua, Bantu, dan Fooku dengan baka angora serta baka kambing susu eropah.

Nampak tak ni?

Baka boer adalah KACUKAN TEMPATAN.

Tak nampak? Ok

Baka boer adalah KA…CU….KAN dengan DARAH TEMPATAN, dengan DARAH PRIBUMI, dengan DARAH KAMPUNG. Kemudian dikacukkan lagi dan lagi sehinggalah kacukan tu stabil (established).

Hmm… kacukan tempatan, kacukan kampung (local cross) rupanya. Kenapa kita tak nampak?

Penternak yang membangunkan baka boer ni adalah penternak eropah dari negeri Belanda/Holland yang menetap di selatan afrika. Mereka ni dipanggil "orang Boer". Sebab tu nama kambing, boer. Masa mula mula bangunkan baka boer ni, mereka nampak, mereka sedar, dan mereka akur yang darah tempatan, darah pribumi, darah kampung mesti diselitkan. Kalau tidak projek pembangunan kambing diorang ni gagal. Memang mereka buat silap awal awal lagi (mereka cuba bangunkan baka kambing susu tulen/fullblood dari eropah semata mata tanpa crossing/kacukan). Tapi bila mereka dah terhantuk mereka segera betulkan kesilapan mereka. Mereka selitkan darah tempatan. Barulah berjaya.

Negara negara eropah ni kan zon empat musim/temperate. Memang pening kambing susu eropah tu nak menyesuaikan diri dengan zon panas dan kering. Banyak sakit, mati, tak jadi membiak. Tetapi bila dikacukkan dengan darah tempatan, barulah jadi syok, barulah nampak hasilnya. Dan orang orang boer ni akhirnya akur dengan kehebatan, keunikan genetik tempatan. Mereka belajar dari kesilapan awal mereka.

Jadi,kenapa kita ambil baka boer sepenuhnya masuk ke negara kita yang berlainan zon cuacanya? Malaysia ni kan zon panas dan lembap, manakala australia pula zon panas dan kering macam afrika selatan? Kenapa kita nak mengulangi kesilapan mereka? Kenapa kita perlekehkan darah tempatan, darah kita sendiri?

Adakah kita tahu penternak kambing di utara australia yang cuacanya adalah subtropik/panas dan lembap juga menghadapi masalah bilamana cuba membiakkan baka boer sepenuhnya?

Semua pembiak/penternak dalam planet bumi ni dari zon cuaca yang berlainan dengan zon asal boer semuanya menghadapi masalah pembiakan. Mereka terpaksa menggunakan input yang sangat tinggi jika berkeras mahu membiakkan baka boer tulen. Fenomena ini bukan sahaja terjadi kepada baka boer, tapi semua jenis organisma (pokok, haiwan, mikrob).

Sebab itu hampir semua pembiak/penternak (bukannya pengimport/trader) baka boer di malaysia kita ni tumbang, tak tahan dengan input tinggi yang diperlukan untuk membiakkan baka boer, walau pun modal berjuta juta. Lain sangat cuacanya, kambing pening, tuan punya kambing pun pening.

Kalau ada pembiak boer yang masih bertahan, diorang buat contract farming (pelabur yang tanggung risiko – bila pelabur sedia ada rugi kemudian tarik diri, cari pelabur baru – memang "bergeliga" buat cara ni), atau agro – pelancongan (agrotourism), atau buat tempat kursus (lumayan nih walaupun banyak menyuapkan maklumat salah dan mengelirukan kepada penternak baru), atau buka restoran, atau buat katering/kambing golek atau pun guna peruntukan kerajaan/duit rakyat.

Rata rata semua pembiak/penternak kambing pedaging yang menggunakan baka boer sepenuhnya (atau baka fullblood bersaiz besar, atau apa apa baka pun dari zon cuaca berlainan)) tidak boleh bergantung kepada jualan kambing hidup (livestock) – kerana masalah pembiakan dan input yang tinggi - terpaksa buat alternatif yang saya sebutkan di atas untuk survive.

"Kambing boer bukan kambing pedaging terbaik dunia tetapi kambing boer adalah kambing pedaging terbaik bagi zon panas dan kering." 

Istilah baka terbaik dunia tidak pernah wujud bagi apa apa organisma pun.

Itulah realitinya. Dan kebenaran ini cuba ditutup atau disorokkan oleh pihak pihak berkepentingan. Yang jadi mangsa? Yang paling banyak rugi? Yang menangis?Penternak/pembiak tempatan yang niatnya ihklas mahu meningkatkan pengeluaran daging kambing tempatan, yang modalnya dikumpul dengan jerih payah tetapi telah dimanipulasi dengan licik oleh pihak pihak yang menutup kebenaran.

Inilah penyebab industri ternakan kita masih tak naik naik. Kerana kita tidak percaya dengan kehebatan dan keunikan darah yang mengalir dalam tubuh sendiri. Kita para pembiak/penternak telah diperdaya dengan begitu licik, kita diasak dengan kehebatan genetik asing yang rupanya tak ke mana, kita telah diperbodohkan. (Selain daripada tidak menyimpan rekod - bila rekod ladang tempatan tiada, senanglah omputih kelentong kita).

Akhirnya kita mengaku kalah. Akhirnya kita sedar, kita akur yang kita tidak boleh maju selagi tidak menggunakan darah kita sendiri, baka pribumi, genetik tempatan sebagai asas dalam apa jua polisi pengeluaran makanan.

(Kepada pembiak/penternak kambing pedaging yang baru berjinak dalam bidang ini, saya tahu semangat anda berkobar kobar, dan seperti kebiasaannya, saya pasti anda memandang rendah/sinis/tidak percaya kenyataan saya ini. Tetapi realiti - pembiakan dan pasaran - akan menjengah sebaik anda memasuki tahun kedua dan ketiga operasi, masa inilah banyak yang mula was was, berpeluh peluh, goyang dan akhirnya tumbang).

Tuan tuan,

Kalau kita ikut jalan seperti mana orang boer afrika selatan ni buat, kita boleh berjaya. Kita ambil pejantan boer kemudian kita kacukkan dengan kambing betina tempatan. Cara ini lebih baik dan pasti berkesan daripada bawak masuk kambing boer jantan dan betina dari australia.

Tapi kalau kita tiru bulat bulat, nanti sama je kejayaannya macam diorang ni. Kita nak lebih berjaya daripada diorang ni. Kita kena berani lalu jalan yang lebih sukar, lebih berisiko. Kita kena berani lalu jalan di mana banyak orang sangsi, perlekeh, hina,gelakkan kita, ketawakan kita bila kita terjatuh.Kita kena berani membangunkan kambing pribumi kita sepenuhnya. Kita kena yakin, mesti percaya yang darah kita tidak akan menghampakan kita.

Darah kita adalah yang terbaik untuk tanah air kita!

*Salah satu cara pembangunan kambing tempatan kita saya ada tulis dalam posting terdahulu (dalam bahasa inggeris) tajuknya "My Buck and The Future". Anda boleh merujuk posting tersebut untuk maklumat lanjut.

TAUFIQ DARI INSTITUT SKILL TECH MELAKA

Taufiq tengah mencucuk kambing dengan penuh tawadduk hehehe....

Taufiq ni muda lagi, umur 18 tahun. Tengah buat praktikal di kandang saya selama 3 bulan. Masa depan industri ternakan sememangnya bergantung kepada anak muda seperti taufiq. Kadar kejayaan dalam perniagaan lebih tinggi bagi anak muda berbanding orang tua. Lagi muda start meniaga, kerja sendiri lagi bagus pasal orang muda ada satu aset sangat besar, iaitu masa. Kalau tersilap langkah takdelah susah sangat nak bangun balik.

Kalau anda perhatikan, taufiq mencucuk kambing di kaki hadapan. Memang polisi saya adalah untuk menyuntik hanya pada kaki depan kambing. Saya tidak pernah buat pada kaki belakang. Saya pasti hampir semua penternak pernah terjadi kes macam ini : hari ni cucuk kambing sihat, besok kambing mati. Bagi saya puncanya ialah suntikan pada peha belakang.

Kambing ni lain sikit dengan biri biri. Bebiri boleh disuntik pada peha belakang, tapi kambing tak boleh. Ini kerana struktur salur dan nodus limfa yang berbeza sedikit antara kambing dan bebiri. Kalau kita tercucuk pada nodus limfa di peha belakang kambing ni, kambing boleh terus mati walau pun sihat dan gemuk masa kita mencucuk. Jadi hati hatilah semasa menyuntik kambing kita tuan tuan. Paling selamat suntik pada kaki depan.

GAMBAR ANAK JANTAN CERAI SUSU

Sebenarnya semua ini gambar lama, tahun sudah. Gambar terkini belum dapat post pasal kamera rosaklah!

Kandang Kedua dan Kandang Ketiga

Gambar atas ialah kandang no 3. Gambar bawah ialah kandang no 2.

Kandang memang nampak kosong pasal kambing tengah lepas meragut.

Kandang kedua dibina pada 2008. Ini kerana kandang pertama dah sesak.

Kandang ketiga dibina pada 2010. Ini kerana kandang pertama dan kedua dah sesak.

Untuk 2011, kandang ketiga sedang dibesarkan untuk menampung kelahiran anak anak kambing. Saiz kandang ketiga buat masa ini ialah 40 kaki x 72 kaki = 2880 kaki persegi. Kos pembinaan ialah RM12 sekaki persegi. Ada kandang kandang rakan rakan ternak mencecah RM30 sekaki persegi. Ada juga RM60 sekaki persegi. Nak buat kandang kambing atau istana kambing? 

Memang syok merekabentuk dan membina kandang tapi yang lebih penting ialah kambing. Harapnya bakal penternak tidak terperangkap dalam isu ini.  Jangan syok sangat membina reban cantik cantik tapi pembiakan tidak menjadi. Anak kambing takde atau sikit sangat. Hati hati ye!

Kandang Pertama

Inilah rupa kandang pertama. Dibina pada 2005. Saiz 20 kaki x 40 kaki. Jadi keluasannya 800 kaki persegi. Kos RM6000 termasuk kos bahan dan buruh. Kos sekaki persegi ialah RM 7.50 sekaki persegi. 

Sekarang kandang ni jadi kandang jantan jantan yang sudah cerai susu. 

Kepada penternak baru kalau nak buat kandang pastikan seboleh bolehnya kos  sekaki persegi kandang anda tidak melebihi RM18. Kalau lebih RM18, samada anda overbudget atau overcharged atau senang cerita anda dah 'dicekik darah'. Kandang untuk pembiakan pedaging ni cincai je, yang penting kambing cantik.

Sekarang ni saya dah tak kagum bila pergi kandang besar besar. Saya dah tak takjub dengan kehebatan binaan kandang. Biasanya penternak baru je yang terpesona. Jauh lebih penting adalah kambing kambing yang berada dalam kandang.

Kalau ada banyak anak anak kambing, itu lebih baik, baru saya kagum. Baru betul betul menternak atau membiak. Ini harap kandang je besar, cantik, tapi kambing besar je yg ada. Anak kambing takde. Maknanya kandang itu bermasalah untuk membiak.

Kandang dah senget nak runtuh, tapi banyak anak anak kambing, memang saya kagum. Barulah betul menyahut cabaran meningkatkan pengeluaran daging dalam negara. Kepada bakal penternak, adalah sangat molek untuk pergi kandang pembiak sebenar, barulah kita mendapat realiti, gambaran jelas industri ternakan ni.

BERAPA UMUR KAMBING CUKUP UMUR?

Banyak sangat penternak tidak tahu berapa sebenarnya syarat kambing cukup umur. Banyak sangat yang kata 2 tahun baru dikira cukup umur. Pernahkah kita betul betul menyiasat kebenarannya?

Matlamat qurban dan akikah dicapai dengan binatang yang baik, sihat, dan berisi tetapi dari segi umur kebanyakan ulama berijtihad. Pandangannya berbeza.

Bagi mazhab hanbali, maliki dan hanafi : memadai kambing yang telah mencapai umur 6 bulan dan masuk bulan ke tujuh. Maksudnya ialah kambing cukup umur bila umurnya 6 bulan 1 hari = 181 hari.

Bagi mazhab shafie : memadai kambing yang umurnya setahun masuk tahun kedua. Maksudnya kambing cukup umur bila umurnya setahun 1 hari = 366 hari.

(kalau ikut tahun islam lagi cepat kan?)

Sabda Rasulullah SAW yang bermaksud " Memadai kambing biri biri yang berusia lapan ke sembilan bulan untuk dibuat qurban" (Riwayat Ibn Majah dan Imam Ahmad).

Sabda Rasulullah SAW yang bermaksud " Jangan sembelih qurban kecuali yang berusia setahun. Jika menjadi kesukaran kepada kamu, maka sembelihlah kambing biri biri (yang berusia lapan ke sembilan bulan). (Riwayat Muslim drpd Jabir RA).

Hmmm.. Takdepun  Nabi atau ulama yang kata kena tunggu umur 2 tahun.

Kalau ikut keputusan mesyuarat jawatankuasa fatwa Negeri Sembilan, dan bicara mufti Perak yang saya dengar di Radio Perak FM : kambing cukup umur bila umurnya setahun sehari. Maknanya masuk tahun kedua. Bila takde rekod barulah tengok gigi.

Nampak tak ? Ini satu lagi sebab saya menyeru kepada semua rakan rakan ternak untuk simpan rekod kelahiran dan kematian kerana sangat membantu dalam penentuan syarat cukup umur kambing. Sekiranya berpandukan gigi, kalau anda nak tahu, kambing berdarah tempatan lambat tanggal gigi. Ada yang dah berumur setahun setengah tapi tak tanggal tanggal sepasang gigipun.  Agaknya dari sinilah terbitnya pandangan yang kata kambing cukup umur 2 tahun, sebab baru tanggal gigi umur tu.

Jadi jangan pening pening nak tunggu tanggal/salin gigi, simpanlah rekod kelahiran sebaik mungkin untuk membantu kita nanti.

Ya satu lagi perkara yang ingin saya kongsi. Sebenarnya kambing betina cukup umur boleh dibuat aqiqah. Kenapa ada yang berkeras kata kambing jantan aje yang boleh dibuat aqiqah?

Dan lebih afdal melakukan qurban 1 individu = 1 nyawa ternakan. Kambing lebih afdal dari lembu untuk dibuat qurban dan aqiqah. Bagi setiap keluarga Islam yang mampu buatlah qurban bagi setiap individu dalam keluarga setiap tahun.

Terima kasih.

NILAI SEMASA KAMBING

Salam para pengunjung,

Kepada para penternak, agak agaknya berapa sebenarnya harga seekor kambing cukup umur?

Jawapannya, berdasarkan harga semasa 1 Dinar Emas.

Macam ni, 1 ekor kambing cukup umur = 1 dinar  =  RM802 (pada 17 Nov 2011). Itulah formula yang diguna pakai di negara negara arab. Di zaman Nabi Muhammad SAW, seekor kambing nilainya bersamaan 1 dinar manakala seekor ayam nilainya 1 dirham. Hingga sekarang setelah hampir 1400 tahun, formula yang sama masih berjalan.

Realitinya saya sendiri belum berani nak jual kambing cukup umur pada harga tersebut di tempat saya. Terkebil kebil mata bakal pembeli kalau dengar harga tersebut. Tapi kalau di Lembah Klang, selatan johor, atau di bandar bandar besar tak menjadi masalah. Betul tak?

GAMBAR KAMBING SEMASA LEPAS MERAGUT

GAMBAR SEBAHAGIAN KAMBING BETINA SAYA SEMASA LEPAS MERAGUT. ADA GEMBALA,  DARI MULA LEPAS SAMPAI BALIK KANDANG. KALAU TAKDE GEMBALA, JAWABNYA HABIS DIMAKAN ANJING LIAR. 9.30 PAGI DAH LEPAS SEMASA EMBUN MASIH ADA, SEMASA CACING DAN PARASIT MASIH BERKELIARAN.  SAYA TAK DEWORM KAMBING SETIAP 3 ATAU 4 BULAN ATAU 6 BULAN. SAYA BAGI BILA KAMBING SAKIT JE. SAYA TAK RISAU PASAL DAH 4 TAHUN BUAT MACAM NI (LEPAS SEBELAH PAGI). LAGI PUN KAMBING SAYA ADA  DARAH PRIBUMI, DARAH  TEMPATAN,  DARAH KITA. DARAH KITA ADALAH TERBAIK UNTUK CUACA KITA!

BENGKEL DI VRI IPOH

Saya telah dijemput menghadiri Bengkel pengurusan kesihatan ruminan kecil dan EM dalam pengurusan ladang 2011. Bengkel sehari ini diadakan di Institut Penyelidikan Haiwan atau Veterinary Research Institute (VRI) di Ipoh pada 15 November 2011. Saya gembira dapat bertemu dan bertukar maklumat dengan penternak lain. Saya juga mendapat maklumat lebih jelas berkenaan aktiviti VRI dan pengetahuan berkenaan aplikasi effective microbe untuk ternakan. Terima kasih kepada pihak VRI kerana menjemput saya.

Harapnya nanti ada pula Bengkel Pengurusan Rekod Ternakan. Ada ke? Pasal saya menghadapi kesukaran untuk bertukar maklumat produktiviti ladang dengan penternak lain. Banyak penternak tiada rekod ladang termasuklah ladang besar besar yang gah namanya. Situasi ini sangat mengejutkan dan menyedihkan. Para pembuat polisi penternakan dan penyelidik pula terpaksa berkiblatkan negara luar bila membuat keputusan kerana kekurangan nyata rekod tempatan. Itu yang jadi kelam kabut industri ternakan sekarang. 

 Kita dalam industri ternakan patut ada satu set standard indikator produktiviti ladang. Asasnya ialah kadar kelahiran, kadar kematian, dan kenaikan berat badan. Kebanyakan orang terlalu menumpukan pada saiz dan berat badan. Banyak sangat rekod pasal berat badan dan nutrisi pemakanan. Tapi bila masuk bab kelahiran dan kematian yang merupakan indikator primer "survivability" pembiak, takde rekod. Susah betul nak cari.

Kalau semua penternak mula menyimpan rekod kelahiran dan kematian secara teliti dan membuat analisis maka bermulalah reformasi industri ternakan malaysia. Saya menyeru kepada rakan ternakan sekalian marilah kita menyimpan rekod ternakan kita. Marilah kita bersama sama memulakan langkah kecil ini kerana walaupun perjalanan masih jauh tapi  sekurang kurangnya kita sudah bermula.

SECEBIS LAPORAN TERNAKAN 9 NOV 2011

 

Salam para pembaca,

Sedikit update berkenaan pembiakan kambing saya. Untuk tahun 2011 ini setakat 9 november saya telah mendapat 213 ekor anak daripada 101 ekor ibu kambing. (Jangan kira dulu kadar kelahiran kambing saya, kerana kadar kelahiran sebenarnya dikira per tahun untuk ketepatan. Jadi ada 52 hari lagi untuk melihat perkembangan selanjutnya).

Ada sesiapa pembiak kambing boer atau jamnapari sudi berkongsi maklumat ternakan mereka? Kalau pengimport atau trader saya tak mahu dengar. Banyak sangat kelentongnya, banyak sangat cakap besarnya. Bila minta rekod ternakan, mula menggelabah tukar topik lain. Bukannya minta rekod kewangan.

48% adalah anak jantan dan 52% adalah anak betina. Banyak pula anak betina tahun ini. Tahun sudah 58% jantan 42% betina. Tapi takpe, tunggu tahun ni habis, tengok macam mana.

Hmm.. memandangkan kapasiti kandang saya terhad, saya nak lebih banyak anak jantan. Jadi kepada pembiak yang rekod ternakannya secara konsisten banyak kelahiran anak jantan hubungi saya. Saya sedang mencari kambing pejantan.

PEMERHATIAN PENTING ALWI GOAT FARM:

(1 pejantan:60-70 betina) membawa kepada kelahiran lebih banyak anak jantan.

(1 pejantan:20-40 betina) membawa kepada kelahiran lebih banyak anak betina.

Pelik juga ye. Walau bagaimana pun ini adalah situasi ladang saya dan pemerhatian saya sendiri. Ladang penternak lain mungkin berbeza.

Pejantan primer saya umurnya sekarang 4.2 tahun. Belum pernah direhatkan. 76 induk untuk dia tahun sudah. Tiada sebarang suntikan vitamin atau hormon tambahan. Tiada makanan special untuk dia. Barangkali ada penternak yang terkejut tengok nisbah pejantan kpd betina ladang saya.

"Banyak sangat betina tu.. mana larat pejantan tu".

"kalau ikut teori kan 1 pejantan kepada 20 hingga 30 ekor betina".

Sebenarnya pejantan yang cergas dan lasak mampu melayan banyak betina. Untuk cergas dan lasak hanya ada satu cara :

KENA BANYAK BERJALAN. LAGI JAUH LAGI BAGUS.

Berjalan? Ya.

Berlari? Tidak.

Berjogging? Tidak.

Jaga makan? Tidak.

Lagi banyak berjalan, lagi cergas, lagi lasak, lagi subur, lagi susah jatuh sakit. Kalau sakit, cepat sembuh. Bukan untuk kambing je, manusia pun sama. Jadi banyakkan berjalan (bukan berjogging atau berlari) untuk mendapatkan kesihatan yang lebih baik.

Kambing makan tanggung (intensif) walau nampak gemuk lagi bulat sebenarnya tidak cergas. Bila tak cergas, kesuburannya berkurang. Kegemukan memang terbukti mengurangkan fertiliti. Dah berlambak kajian yang menemukan hubungan negatif antara kegemukan dan fertiliti. Termengah mengah kambing makan tanggung ni bila ikut kambing yang dah biasa lepas. Ada yang sampai pengsan.

Kalau dapat turun ke tanah sebentar untuk berjalan jalan sekitar kandang dan menghirup udara luar serta mandi cahaya matahari pasti dapat meningkatkan tahap kecergasan dan kegembiraan kambing seterusnya membantu dalam meningkatkan produktiviti ternakan.

Pandangan peribadi saya ialah sistem intensif (makan tanggung) tidak sesuai untuk mereka yang cuba membiak, tapi lebih sesuai untuk mereka yang cuba menggemukkan. Fikir dalam dalam. Betul tak? Sebenarnya untuk pembiakan kita tak nak kambing kita gemuk. Kita nak dia cergas dan lasak. Di negara negara yang maju industri ternakannya, mana ada pembiak kambing/lembu pedaging yang buat sistem intensif? Kalau penggemukan baru guna sistem intensif. Kos sistem makan tanggung untuk pembiakan terlalu tinggi. Kena pula harga dedak melambung. Tapi kalau penggemukan tak kisah pasal jangka pendek.

Ada banyak lagi data ternakan yang belum saya tunjukkan, Kepada penternak yang telah mendapat kiriman rekod ternakan saya atau melihatnya, harapnya kita dapat bertukar maklumat dan sama sama memperbaiki rekod ternakan kita.

Berat Lahir Anak Kambing. Lagi Berat Lagi Bagus?

Salam para pengunjung,

Jawapan ringkas kepada tajuk di atas ialah TIDAK.

Memang aneh tengok banyak penternak kambing berbangga dengan berat lahir anak kambing mereka. Lagi berat lagi bangga. Makin berat makin berpotensi dijadikan bapak kambing atau pejantan. Hmm.... ye ke?

Berdasarkan rekod ternakan yang saya simpan dan analisis setelah 6 tahun membiakkan kambing, saya buat kesimpulan yang saya mahukan anak kambing saya lahir dalam julat berat yang normal yakni 2kg hingga 3.5kg. Saya tidak mahu berat lahir mereka terkeluar daripada julat ini.

Bagi saya berat lahir anak kambing tidak boleh dijadikan petunjuk utama produktiviti ladang. Berat cerai susu ketika umur mereka 4 bulan adalah lebih sesuai dijadikan petunjuk primer ( bagi mereka yang obses dengan saiz ternakan mereka). Saya sendiri lebih pentingkan fertiliti dan fekunditi yakni kadar kelahiran dan survival sebagai petunjuk primer produktiviti ternakan.

Berat lahir yang keterlaluan sebenarnya akan membawa kepada masalah di kemudian hari. Pejantan yang berat lahirnya mengkagumkan akan mewariskan "sindrom janin besar" kepada keturunannya. Induk akan mengalami pelbagai komplikasi semasa mengandung dan beranak dan sepanjang tempoh menyusu. 

Semasa mengandung janin besar perlukan lebih banyak ruang dalam perut kambing. Jadi kapasiti rumen berkurang, dan keupayaan menyimpan, memproses dan mencerna makanan terhad. Ini meningkatkan risiko kekurangan zat makanan seterusnya keguguran.

Semasa beranak pula janin besar membahayakan induk. Anak boleh lemas kerana saiz yang besar melambatkan kelahiran, rahim induk boleh terkeluar kerana tekanan melampau, pendarahan berlebihan, seterusnya meningkatkan risiko kematian. Kalau tak mati, kerosakan rahim yang kekal menyebabkan induk itu tidak lagi produktif. Kalau tak mati, tak cacat rahimnya, stress yang melampau masa beranak mengambil masa yang lama untuk pulih. Penat kita menunggu nanti.

Tak percaya? sape sape yang dah ada bini dan anak tahulah. Boleh tanya doktor2 dan misi2 yang menguruskan wad bersalin pengalaman diorang. 

Kajian terkini pula menunjukkan mereka yang berat lahir berlebihan berkemungkinan lebih tinggi untuk mengalami masalah metabolisme dan fertiliti bila dewasa.  

Jadi kepada pembiak kambing berhati hatilah jangan termasuk perangkap ini kerana ia bakal membahayakan prestasi ternakan anda suatu hari nanti.

Salam.

A REVISED INTRODUCTION TO ALWI GOAT FARM

"Tropical breeds for tropical regions, arid breeds for arid regions, temperate breeds for temperate regions, and polar breeds for polar regions"

A RATHER LONG INTRODUCTION TO ALWI GOAT FARM

Alwi Goat Farm is an independent small scale breeder farm, thoroughly focused on breeding from the start, without any shareholders or investors. Starting very small, it grows organically through breeding efforts, without venturing into trading, importing or contract farming. Breeding is much more challenging than trading or importing, requiring considerably higher skill and patience. Relying on sales from kids, milk and waste, Alwi Goat Farm is hopeful to increase the herd size in the future. Importantly, Alwi Goat Farm believes breeding meat goats in the challenging high level parasitism in tropical weather of Malaysia can be profitable if breeders incorporate local blood into their breeding program.

I have been breeding goats since the year 2005, with a focus on raising healthy, fit and happy meat goats. I have been using crosses of local breeds as the base stock as I feel they has the genetic makeup and characteristic necessary to achieve all my breeding objectives.

My primary objective is raising/breeding/rearing meat goats through low tech, low input husbandry. This means ease of rearing with less cost, time, and thus financially viable, raising the chance of a successful breeding operation. To fulfill the primary objective, I have adopted several measures namely:

1. Husbandry record keeping

2. Unending quest for knowledge
3. Discipline and focus
4. The use of natural free ranging method
5. Selective deworming
6. Fertility as primary trait which means high kidding rate
7. Disease and parasite resistance as secondary trait
8. Zero bottles feeding of kids and zero use of milk replacer
9. Zero supplementation of nursing dams
10. Responsible use of antibiotics

PLEASE NOTE THAT HIGH KIDDING AND SURVIVAL RATE ARE ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO SUCCESSFULLY BREED MEAT GOATS, MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN FAST WEIGHT GAIN RATE. THE MISPLACED FOCUS ON FAST WEIGHT GAIN RATE AS PRIMARY TRAIT HAS LED TO THE DETRIMENT AND DEMISE OF MANY MEAT GOAT BREEDERS! SO MANY INNOCENT NEW BREEDERS ARE FALSELY LED TO BELIEVE THAT HUGE SIZED, FANCY LOOKING, EXPENSIVE GOATS AS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THEIR BREEDING PROGRAM. BUT JUST LIKE A HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR (FERRARI, LAMBO, BENTLEY) REQUIRE HIGH MAINTENANCE, A HIGH PERFORMANCE BREED ALWAYS REQUIRE HIGH INPUT HUSBANDRY (TIME, LABOR AND COST).

1. The first measure is the use of husbandry record keeping. All births and deaths, sexes, medication are recorded so that I can measure the performance of my herd, year after year. I found it as a very, very useful management tool. A lot of learning takes place when I go through my records. It is to my great astonishment when I found out that many goat breeders do not keep records, whether small scale or supposedly better managed large scale commercial farms. So many breeders are just guessing, or quoting foreign knowledge, or downright bragging!

2. Second measure is the thirst for knowledge. Since I start my operation, I am always hungry for information. Every pieces of information, however tiny are of interest to me. I trawled the internet, looking for papers and researches by western, African, and Asian scientist. I seek other people and breeders, no matter how small their farm is, in order to learn and exchange. All these knowledge seeking efforts have greatly paid off. One thing I found out is, the more I know, the less I know. I must say however, that I am troubled by the lack of curiosity shown by new goat breeders. They think after breeding goats for 6 months, or a year, or even 3 years, they are the best. They think they know so much that they stopped seeking knowledge and dismissed other people's view.

3. Third measure is the need for discipline in raising goats, herding them every day, from the moment they stepped out of their barn and stay with them until they return to their barn. Many breeders, who have the great advantage of vast acreage and using free browsing method, surprisingly are indiscipline when herding their goats! They herd initially, and then leave their goats without supervision, hoping all will be fine. This serious indiscipline costs dearly for the herd's productivity (wild dogs, accidents, thievery, we can imagine the rest). I remember the time when I was greatly weakened by leptospirosis for two weeks, and I did not have any worker or anyone to help me, I had to pull myself up, nauseous and trembling, and continued to herd full time. In another time, I was having tooth pain, which as every one of us know, was unbearable. Still I continued herding full time. I realized that I must have the discipline; otherwise the prospect of failure looms large.

Beside discipline, unwavering focus is also needed. There are many distractions, either visible or subtle, that continually surfaces to steer us away from the objectives. For example, I remember during the first few years of the farm. My farm is situated far from civilization, far from people, without electricity, without piped water. I lived on the farm, next to the goat barn. I had to use gasoline lamps (pelita) for light and manually fetched water from the well. I did not have the money to buy generator for electricity or water pump for making the task of transporting water easier. I am a city kid, born and raised in the city, pampered by the luxury of switches, water taps, televisions, computers, and washing machines. I used to be surrounded by many neighbors and very used to noises and lights. But here in the farm, it is so quiet in the day and deathly quiet in the dark that I was invaded by fear. I was lonely. I spend the day with my goats and the night alone. The stresses of transition, amplified by the loneliness, threaten to destroy my focus.

4. Fourth measure is the utilization of free ranging method. I let all my goats browse freely. They are free to choose whatever shrubs, bushes and weeds they want to. Goats do not like grasses, unlike sheep. Goats that are able to browse are much happier and healthier. Browsing requires a lot of walking, encouraging the goats to be fitter . Healthy, fit and happy goats are very important for the productivity of the herds. Since my goats are able to forage/browsing, I have been able to keep feed cost low, which in turn affect the farm survivability.

5. Fifth measure is the practice of selective deworming. A lot of expert breeders know the importance of controlling internal parasites in their goats. Common practice is mass deworming of all goats every 3 months. But I have chosen to stop this practice. I do not want to be dependent on dewormer as I keep hearing reports of resistance build up, domestically and internationally. For the year 2010 onwards, I have stopped mass deworming of my goats. Instead, I only deworm if one shows sign of worm overload. Interestingly, my goats do seem fine and healthy, even after a more than a year without mass deworming. Selective deworming not only brings cost down, but also does not affect productivity. Please note that I use crosses of local breeds which have some resistance and resilience to local parasites.

6. Sixth measure is the focus on primary trait, which is fertility rate. For the year 2010, my kidding rate is 2.33 or in percentage term 233%. That means for every 100 dams (female goats which give birth), I got 230 kids for that year. This high kidding rate is not easy to achieve, in fact impossible to achieve if we use temperate breeds, arid breeds OR big size goats. (My buck is 60kg and females' average mature weight is 30-35kg). A fact that so many people miss is this - temperate or arid breeds are seasonal breeders. (Some quarters twist this fact, so novice breeders, please be aware). They mate according to season, in contrast to tropical breeds, which breeds all year round. A true kacang breed (100% kacang or fullblood) under good management can achieve a kidding rate of 2.95(295%)! But when kacang is crossed to big sized jamnapari (no longer 100% kacang blood), the kidding rate falls to between 1.6 and 1.9 (160% to 190% - which is still acceptable, by the way). From published western researches, the usual kidding rate for temperate or arid breeds under good management is 1.8(180%). Of course, if the breeds stay in their respective weather zone!

I believe that the use of local tropical bloods in the meat goat breeding program, mostly as crosses, can bestow upon breeders two massively important, critical advantages – higher kidding rate and higher survival rate. Novice breeders usually do not realize this fact, preferring to opt for size instead (a trap so many falls to). But for expert breeders, particularly those who solely survived by breeding (not trading,importing, contract farming), will want this characteristic as primary consideration. Weight gain rate will be of secondary or tertiary consideration.

*Another advantage of breeding small or medium sized goats is the lack of "large calf syndrome" which makes it a lot easier for dams to give birth, reducing mortality to mother or kids significantly. As at 21/4/2011 I have received 562 births (all thanks to the Lord) and none are birth assisted.

7. Seventh measure is the strive for disease and parasite resistance trait in my breeding program. Under tropical weather, which is hot and humid, grasses and forages/plants grow quicker. But they also have much higher concentration of worm and parasites, specifically tapeworm and liver fluke. I learned from experience that these 2 worms are major threat for tropical goats. But local breeds do have some form of resistance and immunity. The price we pay for this immunity is smaller size for local breeds, although they compensate in the form of prolificacy in breeding. For arid and temperate weather, plants there have much less concentration of worms and parasites. Haemonchus contortus, a type of roundworms is a major threat there. Temperate weather goats (saanen, nubians, toggenburg, etc) and arid weather goats (boer, kalahari, savannah, etc), are really genetically not used to tapeworms and flukes. They are overwhelmed by tropical parasites when they are moved/imported into here. This is one of the reasons they have trouble adapting here, beside heat stress.

Going for disease and parasite resistance trait will bring dividend in the form of higher survival rate, lower cost of medicine, less headache, less worry and less fear for us, the breeders. I myself have seen vast improvement to my farm survival rate and much lower cost of medicine. Currently my list of medicine is a dewormer, long acting antibiotic, herbal based cocci treatment, wound spray and sodium bicarbonate. Oh and a bottle of blood supplement, which is infrequently used. Also cats and dragonflies. Cats to control rats and rats borne diseases and dragonflies to control mosquitoes. I do not need a vast array of medicine to ensure survival of my herds.

8. The eighth measure is the policy of banning bottle feeding to the kids. All my goat kids are raised naturally, suckling from their mothers. None are bottle fed. Milk replacer is not used. Bottle feeding may look cute in pictures, but it is impractical, very time consuming, and very costly. Personally for me, this practice together with having to milk mastitis infected dams are the most spirit sapping and can lead to breakdown. Frustration level will be very high if the kids we bottle fed die( after all the efforts spent, who will not?) I remember one cold rainy night in the second year of operation, where I had to cull two dying kids in the middle of the night, outside the barn and raining. I spent a lot of energy, time and money bottle feeding them due to their dams being infected by mastitis. I woke up in the middle of the night and early dawn to feed them and I did this for months. They had grown large and without reasons understandable to me at that time, suddenly went epileptic and critical. I was forced to cull them. As I stare into their lifeless bodies and the blood soaked, wet ground, I became overwhelmed with grief. I knelt on the earth, sorrow filled every nerve of my body. I cried, just like the sky was crying unto me. I felt utterly hopeless and I was on the verge of quitting. I vowed to myself that I will never bottle feed the kids again. I vowed that somehow I will find a way to reduce my herd's mortality and increase their survival without resorting to such high input husbandry. Thus begin my intense research, observation and thought and in those processes, discovering some unconventional, some contrarian, some interesting knowledge.

9. The ninth measure is zero supplementation to the nursing dams, even if they have twins or triplets. In fact, all my breeder goats do not use any additional feed (grains, soy, or palm) for their entire life, except when they are sick. The herd relies on good old fashioned free browsing, coupled with discipline in herding. This approach produces one notable benefit: zero cases of chronic and acute mastitis. Being mastitis free helps me tremendously in achieving low input husbandry objective. Mastitis is huge problem affecting many farms, lowering productivity and profitability significantly. Any infected dam is a huge blow to the breeding operation, for they have to go through intensive, time consuming treatment or worse, considered for culling. Their kids have to be bottle fed. I have experienced this during the early years and I have no wish to go through that again.

*I do experience few cases of clinical mastitis intermittently (occasionally) but they easily cleared up with single or double dose of long acting antibiotic. I no longer use specific mastitis treatment kit.

10. The tenth measure is the responsible use of antibiotic. I use antibiotic when absolutely necessary. There is no need to give antibiotic when the goat is having a cold (selsema), minor cough (batuk), orf (puru), or short term lameness. Goats that are able to browse and have no overcrowding issue are very healthy, fit and happy. So they require much less medication. However for confined breeding operation where stress level is higher, expect cost of medicine to go up. Some breeders intentionally administer antibiotics to healthy goats in order to promote growth. This is not a right policy to adopt.

All the above measures are applied to achieve a low tech, low input, easier husbandry for increased chances of successful breeding. The biggest contributor for low input husbandry will be the incorporation of local, indigenous blood such as kacang into the breeding program. Just like boer breed have a world class feature – incredible weight gain rate, the kacang breed also have a world class feature – the most prolific, fertile breed of goats on planet Earth. But this world class feature of kacang never gets highlighted. And the big plus for kacang is it is a tropical breed, already adapted to our climate, thus require much lower input to perform. Yet we fail to realize this fact, we can't smell the roses right under our noses, and we can't see the obvious.

I feel like we are standing in front of a vault full of gold, but inserting the wrong key so many times.

It is time to open our eyes to the tremendous potential of our humble kacang, and start harnessing, developing, finetuning it for our own future. Only then, we will be able to unlock the vault that promises a brighter future for all of us. Tremendous task it is, but if the South Africans patiently took more than 30 years to develop the boer, why can't we?

My Buck and The Future

Ordinary looking, ordinary size and ordinary weight (63kg), but incredibly fit and athletic. His name is Berger. His age is 3 years 4 months. He has not been dewormed for the past 24 months, has not been given any medication or vaccination, has not been given any performance enhancing drug or hormones, has not been given vitamins or minerals injection . He has to mate with 80 females (I know you are surprised by the ratio, but I have valid reasons). A heroic task indeed. He follow a spartan lifestyle, never bottle fed when he was a kid, and grew on full pasture based diet. He grew by 200 gram per day from birth to 3 months of age, when his mother, unfortunately died from snake bite. His mother is only 38 kg and was not given any form of supplementation except salt lick. His mother only diet is browse, no extra forage are cut and carried to her, and no concentrate given.

Berger is now the primary sire. He gains his strength and fitness from the sun his skin is exposed to, the fresh air that fills his lung, and the very long walk he has to undertake everyday when browsing. Since he performs his siring duty very well, I reward him with 900g of soybean meal based concentrate every morning. I do not give him jamu, makjun or telur ayam kampung though (some breeders do!)

Berger has high parasite and disease resistance trait, high fertility trait, gains weight well, and very low cost.

Perfect.

Of course, there is always room for improvement. I have been looking for a secondary buck, preferably with some tropical dairy blood, in the same weight range as Berger. I lean toward crosses of dairy breeds as my next step in upgrading.

Why crosses and not fullbloods? To keep it simple, low cost, fuss free and in line with my primary objective, that is raising goats through low input husbandry. Fullbloods are very big, impressive in size and progenies will grow very fast. It's a fact. But that is where the trouble lies. Bigger, late maturing goats will have much slower rate of reproduction and require high input husbandry. There is no need for heavier bucks as I do not want to lose my kidding and survival rate.

But if I can get my hand on one type of fullbloods, it will be the african dwarf. Again, some of you might nod in disbelief - thinking that I am going backward. Well, african dwarf is a tropical dairy breed, having traits that make them highly adaptable and very productive here. Do not let their small size fools us. Some good African dwarfs can produce more than 2 litres of high quality milk everyday consistently, equal or better than those temperate dairy breeds that we bring into here. African dwarfs are also easier to maintain and more marketable than those big size goats.

Shouldn't meat goat breeders choose boer as the boer is known as superior meat breed in the world? Well, boer is superior meat breed in their respective arid (hot and dry) regions, like south Africa and Australia. Boer is not superior in tropical or temperate regions; their genetic potential is depressed in this kind of weather. I have experience trying to breed fullblood boer myself a few years back. I use fullblood boers from fifth and sixth generation of local breeding program, but I am massively disappointed with their performance. Obviously they are having very hard times trying to adapt here. But I think crosses of boer with local breeds can work and should be considered.

Tropical dairy breed like African dwarfs, jamnaparis and Nubians ( Nubians have some tropical blood) have some distinct difference compared to temperate dairy breeds like saanen, toggenburg, etc. The composition and level of saturated fats in their milk is not the same as milk from temperate breeds. I believe that the composition and higher level of saturated fats in the milk play a major role in the survivability of kids born in the tropics. I lean toward local crosses of dairy breeds to gain more of this feature in my breeders, so I will have faster growing kids without sacrificing reproduction rate. Survival rate will be better too, I believe.

How about kacang as the buck? Is it good enough?

For too long, we have neglected our own indigenous breed. For too long, the genetic potential of kacang lies dormant and unrealized. For too long, we are led to believe that foreign breeds are superior to our kacang. For too long, there is not enough research and observation on our kacang. For too long, kacang is viewed as backyard breed, suitable only for orang kampong and have little commercial value.

Ignorance makes us blind. That is why we are in the doldrums. Our livestock industry is getting nowhere. We failed to see the vast potential of our own local resources.

I believe in local genetics as the future. I believe in the great potential of kacang breed. I believe, if we take action now, we can elevate kacang to a premier breed in the not too distant future. Our kacang will be the key to our self sufficiency, the key to unshackle ourselves from the heavy chain of imports, and the key to unlock a bright new future for the industry. Unbelievable? Too far sighted? Ridiculous? Here is how. We need to work together - the government, the scientists, and the breeders. I could not do this alone. We need to band together, with absolute focus and patience. This is the most difficult path, littered with distractions and very challenging. But the most challenging path also has the most bountiful reward.

We can go both ways for the development of kacang – as a meat goat and as a dairy goat. We should run both selection program concurrently.

First, the establishment of a Central Buck Performance Test. I personally prefer the term Central Buck Punishment Test (CBPT). This is a zone, perhaps not exceeding 100 acres, where high potential buckling (male kids) from several participating breeders are sent for punishment and evaluation. Punishment here means harsh living, the Spartan way. The zone will consist of a shade and some salt lick. Vegetation will not be open pasture, but under palm oil tree, mimicking the real life situation of many breeders. High parasite concentration area will be preferable. The male kids (from 5 or 6 months old) are allowed to roam and browse freely in the zone. No concentrate or extra forage will be given. They must be able to fatten themselves on available browse. No dewormers and medication are given. They must learn to build resistance and resilience to disease and parasite quickly. They will live like this for a year or two, learning to look after themselves. The harsher the zone, the better. Stars and champions are made in harsh and difficult environment, not in easy, pampered environment. Surviving males will be further critically evaluated. We will apply a very intensive selection process in order to find outstanding and exceptional bucks.

I think the ideal number of breeder does for this program will be between 1000 – 2000 heads. This number is necessary since I think we should go for population genetics, not for familial or pedigree. At least 10 expert breeders is needed, this will take years. If one breeder pulls out, there is still others who will continue.

Second, every successful kacang bucks that come out of CBPT will have their gnome sequenced, recorded, and identified for disease, heritable or not. Not only we will apply rigorous visual inspection, but we will also go for rigorous gene inspection. Gnome reader machine is getting cheaper, and I think the government can afford it. The government should allocate more resources to research the exciting world of genomics (genetic codes of organism) and epigenetic (how environment influences genes). These two sciences are going to revolutionize agriculture, opening up the way for advance genetic engineering. The establishment of a gene bank to document and safeguard our biodiversity is critical for our future. The bank can store semen and embryos from superior bucks and does coming out from the CBPT program for use in artificial insemination and embryo transfer, to accelerate the development. Our gene bank should give priority to local genetic resources and their development, not foreign genetics.

Third, participating breeders will implement expected progeny differences (EPDs) in their kacang breeding program to aid in the intensive selection process. EPDs provide estimate of the genetic value of an animal as a parent, for same breed. I believe EPDs is a very valuable management tool for any breeders. Any breeders in Malaysia doing this? Please let me know, I would like to learn.

The most important step is to educate breeders to start keeping husbandry records. Education takes time and effort but it is the most strategic investment we could ever make. Perhaps the Department of Veterinary Services should focus more on this aspect. They are the one with the most up to date list of breeders in their area.

In conclusion, the future of our livestock industry is dependent on identifying kacang or kedah-kelantan with superior genetics and upgrading them wisely. I strongly believe that if we apply the above steps, we will be able to identify superior genetics, improve and distribute it efficiently. We will elevate our local indigenous breeds to new heights, heralding a new future for the industry. This is the practical, logical way for the government to improve the industry, meet the targets, and finally exceeding it. We must take action now!

*By the way, things that makes sense usually do not get noticed and ignored. But some one must do it. Local genetics + local breeders + local scientists + local resources = the brightest future!