Strategies to increase growth of weaned Bali calves

Demand for beef in Indonesia is increasing by 4% per annum, which is unable to be met from domestic supply alone under prevailing cattle management systems. Small-holder farmers within the crop-livestock system of eastern Indonesia have the opportunity to capitalise on this increased demand for beef. An Integrated Village Management System (IVMS) established in Nusa Tenggara Barat successfully increased reproductive output by introducing natural mating, early weaning and more appropriate allocation of available feed resources to match nutrient demands of cattle. It is anticipated that wide scale implementation of the IVMS will result in a large population of early weaned calves across eastern Indonesia and that if these calves are retained by small-holder farmers, and growth rates improved, significant increases in cash flow will ensue. The objective of this project was to evaluate a range of feeding strategies to increase growth rates of 6 month old weaned Bali calves at four sites across eastern Indonesia.