CUBES AND PELLETS OF LEGUME TREE LEAVES FOR DRY SEASON FEED IN SEMI-ARID REGION OF INDONESIA

Cubes dan Pellet Daun Leguminosa Pohon untuk Pakan Ternak di Daerah Semi-Arid, Indonesia.Ternak, khususnya sapi merupakan komoditas penting sebagai sumber pendapatan bagi petani di NusaTenggara Timur (NTT), Indonesia. Namun demikian, produktivitas ternak sapi di daerah ini masih rendahdisebabkan karena kurangnya pengetahuan petani dalam usahatani ternak dan terbatasnya ketersediaan pakanterutama selama musim kemarau (8-9 bulan per tahun). Di lain pihak, ketersediaan pakan berlimpah di musimhujan. Beberapa leguminosa pohon sudah lama digunakan sebagai sumber pakan di daerah ini, namun karenapanjangnya musim kemarau menyebabkan terjadinya gugur daun pada tanaman ini. Karena itu penting untukmelakukan teknologi pengawetan pakan yang dapat diadopsi oleh petani. Suatu seri penelitian dan pengkajiantelah dilakukan di Timor pada Balai Pengkajian Teknologi Pertanian (BPTP NTT) untuk meneliti dan mengkajitentang pembuatan cubes dan pellet dari daun leguminosa pohon, seperti Leucaena leucocephala, Glirisidiasepium, dan Sesbania grandiflora, menggunakan tepung ubi kayu sebagai perekat atau pengikat sekaligussebagai sumber energi. Pengkajian ini telah menemukan formulasi yang sesuai untuk pembuatan cubes danpellet, informasi nilai nutrisinya, peralatan pembuat cubes dan pellet, pertambahan berat badan ternak jikadiberikan cubes dan pellet sebagai pakan suplemen, dan pengalaman dalam melakukan kajian diseminasiteknologi pembuatan cubes dan pellet kepada petani di Timor. Kajian ini juga menguraikan lebih lanjut tentangbeberapa implikasi praktis yang dapat dilakukan untuk mendorong penggunaan cubes dan pellet di NTT.Kata kunci: Cubes, pellet, leguminosa pohon, tepung daun, pengawetan pakan Livestock (especially cattle) is an important income generating source for farmers in the semi-arid regionin East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia. Cattle production in the region, however is still low, lack of farmersknowledge in animal husbandry, and the lack of year round feed supply especially during dry periods (8-9 month dryseason in a year). Fodder availability, however, in fact is usually abundant during the wet season. Some tree legumeshave long been important sources of fodder in the region, however, owing to the long dry period considerable lossof leaf occurs. Thus there is an urgent need to encourage the application of feed preservation technologies adoptableby farmers. A series of experiments and assessments were conducted at the East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institutefor Agriculture technology (BPTP NTT) to investigate the making of cubes from the leaves of legume trees suchas Leucaena leucocephala, Glirisidia sepium, and Sesbania grandiflora. Cassava meal was used as the bindingagent as well as the source energy. The experiments and assessments have obtained a proper formula for makingcubes, information on the nutritive values, equipments to produce cubes and pellets. Beside, information on thepreferences of cattle to the cubes and pellets, live weight gain when fed as supplement, and some experiencesin the dissemination of cubes and pellets making to the farmers was also obtained. The paper also elaboratedfurther into explaining some practical implications of ways to encourage cubes usages in East Nusa Tenggara.Key words: cubes, pellets, legume trees, leaf meals, feed preservation, semi-ari

Barriers and Opportunities for the Use of Forage Tree Legumes in Smallholder Cattle Fattening Systems in Eastern Indonesia

Forage tree legumes (FTL) have existed in the Eastern Indonesian landscape since colonial traders introduced several species in the late 1800s. A specific effort was made to establish leucaena (Leucaena leucoephala) and sesbania (Sesbania grandiflora) for use as forage for cattle fattening at Amarasi in East Nusa Tenggara Province and Central Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, in the 1970s (Yuksel et al. 1999; Dahlanuddin et al. 2005). Its spread within these provinces as potential forage to intensify cattle fattening systems, however, has been slow if not stagnant. In preparation for intensified efforts to encourage farmers in East and West Nusa Tenggara to grow and use FTLs for cattle fattening, we asked the question why successful FTL feeding practices by some communities had not spread widely to adjacent areas within the provinces. A situation analysis study was conducted in 2011-12 in East and West Nusa Tenggara Provinces aimed at identifying the barriers and opportunities for FTL use in smallholder cattle fattening systems. This paper describes the methodology of this study, its main findings and the implications for follow-up expansion of FTL innovations

Tarramba leucaena: A success story for smallholder bull fattening in eastern Indonesia

Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) cv. Tarramba was first introduced to eastern Indonesia (East and West Nusa Tenggara Provinces) as part of an ACIAR project in 2001-2003. Its superior value was recognized immediately as it: was preferred by cattle over local leucaena; was less affected by psyllids; provided better dry season growth; and produced poles suitable for construction. In on-farm Bali bull feeding demonstrations, Tarramba leucaena doubled weight gains compared with traditional practices, enabling the most progressive farmers to win local bull-fattening competitions. Owing to strong demand for seed, the East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institute for Agriculture Technology, in collaboration with the Provincial Livestock 
 Department, assisted smallholders to establish seed orchards to ensure that professionally produced and packaged Tarramba seed was available for commercial sale. By the end of the ACIAR involvement, approximately 2,000 kg of Tarramba seed had been distributed to farmers, in addition to farmer-to-farmer seed sales. Approximately 800,000 ha of land in East Nusa Tenggara Province is suitable for Tarramba leucaena so the potential for this legume to contribute to beef production in the region is huge. Tarramba is now contributing to forage development in other parts of Indonesia as well as in Timor-Leste

Farmer Based Seed Production of \u3cem\u3eLeucaena leucocephala\u3c/em\u3e in Eastern Indonesia

Leucaena leucocephala cv. Tarramba was first introduced to Indonesia in 2001 as an activity of ACIAR Project AS2/2000/157. It has now become the most popular variety used by agencies promoting the use of leucaena for ruminant feeding in Eastern Indonesia (Nulik et al. 2004). The greater adaptability and higher production of Tarramba, even in the dry season, its erect growth habit as well as its tolerance of the psyllid insect (Heteropsylla cubana) compared to the ubiquitous ‘common’ leucaena, has been frequently observed (Nulik et al. 2004). The cultivar has attracted much interest from farmers and other stakeholders who request seed for its wider development as high quality forage for feeding cattle. This increasing demand highlights the need to understand the best practices for establishment and management, and the need for local supply of good quality seed. Lack of seed availability is one of the most important barriers to the wider distribution and use of Tarramba. It is estimated that at least 1000 kg and perhaps as much as 5000 kg of Tarramba may be needed annually to ensure adequate seed supply

Establishment of \u3cem\u3eLeucaena leucocephala\u3c/em\u3e cv. Tarramba in Eastern Indonesia

The adaptability and productive value of Leucaena leucocephala cv. Tarramba (Tarramba) in eastern Indonesia has been observed since 2001 (Nulik et al. 2004), with many farmers and other stakeholders currently requesting seed for planting. Tarramba has greater forage and timber production, and psyllid tolerance than other commercial cultivars and locally grown leucaena. The variability of soils and climate in eastern Indonesia means that establishment techniques specific to the region are required to achieve maximum adoption and utilisation of Tarramba

Effectiveness of inoculation with rumen fluid containing Synergistes jonesii to control DHP toxicity in ruminants in eastern Indonesia

The feasibility and efficacy of inoculating with rumen fluid as a method to control hydroxypyridone (DHP) toxicity in ruminants on high leucaena diets in eastern Indonesia were investigated. Rumen fluid collected from 2 buffalo identified as 'protected', due to low levels of DHP excretion in urine, was orally administered to animals identified as 'unprotected' and concentrations of urinary DHP monitored. Control animals were dosed with water only. Treatments were randomly allocated to 10 recipient animals: 3 goats and 7 cattle. All animals were fed a diet containing freshly cut 100% leucaena during the 18 day study period. Measurement of urinary DHP via colorimetric analysis commenced 8 days prior to animals being drenched with rumen fluid or water and continued for 10 days afterwards. Urinary DHP levels in animals that received the inoculum did not differ from those in the control group 10 days post-inoculation (mean 425 mg DHP/L; P = 0.50). Unexpectedly, DHP levels in all animals (rumen fluid and water) declined with time, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.12), and remained above considered safe threshold levels. These results suggest that transfer of rumen fluid to overcome leucaena toxicity in animals in eastern Indonesia may not be effective despite great care having been taken to ensure the viability of the anaerobic organisms during the inoculation process; this methodology is also not a practical solution to replicate on a commercial scale. The findings suggest that inoculation may not be necessary if animals previously naïve to leucaena are able to adapt to DHP toxicity by other means

Prevalence of DHP Toxicity and Detection of \u3cem\u3eS. jonesii\u3c/em\u3e in Ruminants Consuming \u3cem\u3eLeucaena leucocephala\u3c/em\u3e in Eastern Indonesia

Leucaena leucocephala (leucaena) is a productive forage tree legume widely used in eastern Indonesia. While highly nutritious, it possesses the toxin mimosine which adversely affects animal production. In ruminants, mimosine is readily converted to the two isomers of dihydroxypyridine (3,4-DHP and 2,3-DHP) known to cause goitre, suppress appetite, and cause severe mineral deficiencies. These adverse symptoms may be partially responsible for the reluctance of some farmers to feed leucaena. A bacterium capable of complete degradation of DHP, Synergistes jonesii, originally discovered in Hawaii in goats consuming leucaena (Jones and Megarrity 1986), was later found in Indonesia which led to the assumption that all Indonesian ruminants were protected from leucaena toxicity even on 100% leucaena diets. The objective of this study, conducted during October-November 2011, was to confirm this hypothesis via an extensive survey of the toxicity status of ruminants consuming leucaena in eastern Indonesia

Improving the supply of forage and staple food of smallholder farmers in therural marginal dry land of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Cattle and corn are important for small farmers in west Timor. However, owing to the lack of proper technologies, marginal lands and erratic rainfalls, productivity of both are low. To improve the productivity, a conservation agriculture approach was demonstrated during 2017-2019 at Camplong II village, on a marginal land with shallow top soil, rocky formation, with existing corn production of <1 ton/ha. The technology package in 2019, includes: (i) hedges of Leucaena leucocephala (planted at 2 m within the row and 4 m between the rows), (ii) Deep planting hole (40 cm x 40 cm x 40 cm) filled with mixtures of soil and cattle manure, (iii) planting of grass within the rows of Leucaena, (iv) cover crop legumes: cow pea, Clitoria ternatea, and Mucuna holtonii while using corn stover and cattle refusals as mulches. Forage was obtained from Leucaena and the grass, while herbaceous legumes were left uncut. The results include: (i) year round supply of high quality forage, (ii) improved the daily weight gain of fattening cattle (0.2 to 0.3 - 0.6 kg/head/day), (iii) reduced calves mortality down to 0%, (iv) and increased corn yield to 5 ton/ha and a second crop harvest as green corn

Tarramba leucaena: a success story for smallholder bull fattening in eastern Indonesia

Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) cv. Tarramba was first introduced to eastern Indonesia (East and West Nusa Tenggara Provinces) as part of an ACIAR project in 2001-2003. Its superior value was recognized immediately as it: was preferred by cattle over local leucaena; was less affected by psyllids; provided better dry season growth; and produced poles suitable for construction. In on-farm Bali bull feeding demonstrations, Tarramba leucaena doubled weight gains compared with traditional practices, enabling the most progressive farmers to win local bull-fattening competitions. Owing to strong demand for seed, the East Nusa Tenggara Assessment Institute for Agriculture Technology, in collaboration with the Provincial Livestock Department, assisted smallholders to establish seed orchards to ensure that professionally produced and packaged Tarramba seed was available for commercial sale. By the end of the ACIAR involvement, approximately 2,000 kg of Tarramba seed had been distributed to farmers, in addition to farmer-to-farmer seed sales. Approximately 800,000 ha of land in East Nusa Tenggara Province is suitable for Tarramba leucaena so the potential for this legume to contribute to beef production in the region is huge. Tarramba is now contributing to forage development in other parts of Indonesia as well as in Timor-Leste