Professor Chair Holder on Animal Genetics of IPB: Bali Cattle, Treasure of Indonesia
Animal genetic resources are the primary biological capital for livestock development, and are vital to food security and sustainable rural development. Yet, the values of these resources are poorly understood and their management has been neglected. They are the most strategic and are the most valuable asset for any society. The world population is predicted to reach 9 billion more by 2050, moving from 6.7 billion at present. So it requires an increase of 70 percent of agricultural production. It is estimated that in poor of the rural areas about 70% of the them lives depend on the livestock sector.
"The combined effect of population growth, strong income growth and urbanization, with the associated shifts in diet structures towards more nutritious and higher quality foods, is expected to result in almost the doubling food and feed needs by 2050. Certainly as fasting month is around the corner, thus next month the demand for meat will increase but we can’t cover up. Lack of domestic supply of beef will continue to occur until the year 2020, "said Professor on Animal Genetics, of the Faculty of Animal Science of Bogor Agricultural University (FAPET IPB), Prof. Dr. Ir. Ronny Rachman Noor, Mrur.Sc., in his press conference prior his scientific oration at IPB Campus, Baranangsiang, Bogor, on 19 April 2018.
This increased demand provides greater opportunities to increase livestock's contribution to national economic growth. Livestock play a significant role in rural livelihoods and the economies of developing countries such as Indonesia. Research works of Prof. Ronny had always been directed to increase the population and productivity of local livestock.
One of the most important works of Prof. Ronny is to increase the local livestock population by testing the purity. As crossbreeding conducted directly in the field causes a concern since it may threaten the purity of the native species and decrease the cattle's potential for adaptation, and its reproduction. Bali cattle still represents 27% of the total cattle population in Indonesia, and it is considered the pillar breed for small farmers. Prof. Ronny has developed a technique to analyze karyotype, use scanning electron microscope to analyze fur and chromosomal topography, isoelectric focusing technique and microsatellite DNA.
"In Europe's oldest livestock museum in the University of Martin Luther Germany, you will see a picture of Bali Cow plastered on one of its walls. The photo was made in 1827. We should be proud because as the original Indonesia cow had been known for European since the Diponegoro war era. European scientists have identified that Bali Cow is unique and deserves to be considered as one of the unique cows in the world," he explained.
According to him, there are seven miracles in Bali Cattle, it ought to be considered the most suitable indigenous cattle breed for the low-input, high stress production system still practised by millions of families in Indonesia. Bali Cattle survives in marginal environment with low quality of feed and has the highest (even highest) carcass percentage. There are white on all four legs, from the knee to toes, buttock is white with clear boundaries and oval with black on tail tip (this color pattern regulating gene is only available in Bali Cattle).
The Balinese cow is also the only domestic cow whose male and female colors are the same at birth but different in adult genes. Bali cattle still have a living ancestor. The uniqueness of Bali cattle, they are the only cow in the world that has of Ribbon structure and spacefill of the haemoglobin. Balinese cattle also have HEL9 and INRA 35 DNA microsatellite markers as their distinctive markers. Jembrana disease virus (JDV), a recently identified bovine lentivirus, causes an acute and severe disease in Bali cattle Clinical Jembrana disease has not been reported in other types of cattle and this has led to the belief that the disease is unique to Bali cattle.
"Bali cattle (Bos javanicus) are the result of a direct domestication of wild banteng in Bali or in Ujung Kulon National Park and Baluran. This has provided opportunities to proof of the theory of evolution and the history of livestock domestication. Because of its uniqueness, the taxonomy of Bali Cattle they are classified as a separate cattle, Bosda sondaicus or Bos javanicus which is different from Bos taurus (European cow) and Bos indicus (East Asian cattle)," he explained.
Because of their unique species composition Bali cattle represent a valuable genetic resource, which potentially may also be exploited in other tropical regions. In addition, Bali Cattle are an important source of meat and are used for plowing.
Livestock farming with local livestock plays a role in nutrition fulfillment and reduction of malnutrition problems. But there is no conservation program to preserve for more than 75 percent of the nation's endangered livestock. Although it is widely accepted that genetic erosion takes place, its extent has not been technically documented and its definition is contested.
"An uncontrolled crosses through artificial Insemination (IB) and misperceptions related to the productivity of local livestock occured. Meat self-sufficiency will never be realized unless extreme measures are taken in cattle breeding as the backbone of livestock suppliers, "he added.
"It needs the perception change from self-sufficient in beef to self-sufficiency of animal protein," he said. (Wied)
