Rearing goat strategies for multi-purposes by smallholder farmers in socio-agro-economic systems of Bali Province
L Doloksaribu1, B P McLachlan2, R S Copland2 and P J Murray2
1 Faculty of Animal and Husbandry, Udayana University, Jimbaran Campus Badung-Bali, Indonesia
2 School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Queensland 4343, Australia
Abstract
In Bali Province, 207,054 goats were slaughtered or four times larger than the total goat population in 2017. High demand for goats should stimulate goat rearing thus goat productivity in Bali Province. However, there is little information about the Balinese socio-agro-economic system for rearing, utilising and managing goats. This study was to gain an understanding of the different rearing goat strategies in Bali Province. 178 Farmers who had some level of goat production were surveyed from January 2014 to December 2018. These farmers owned 2,162 goats in Bali Province and there were 2.3±0.0 labourers/household who cultivated 1.2±0.0 hectare of crops. These farmers had an average of 12±1 goats/household and goat production was limited by cut and carry forage supply, particularly during dry season where feed was limited or during crop harvesting, and Bali Hindu ceremonies, where family labour was limited. Farmers who reared Mecaru goats could sell them at double normal prices. In summary, the increased awareness of Balinese socio-agro-economic system helped smallholder farmers in formulating strategies of rearing goats for more organic fertilizer and milk productions, Eid Qurban and Mecaru ceremonies and conserving Gembrong goats in Bali Province.
Keywords: smallholder farmers, goats rearing, integrated farming system, multi-purposes, and socio-agro-economic systems.
Topic: Animal Nutrition, Animal Production, and Veterinary Science