The Farmer’s Perception on Crop By-Product Utilization as Feed for Beef Cattle in Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Aims: This research was objected to analyze farmers’ perception on feeding technology and crop by-product utilization at the farms of Bulukumba regency, Souh Sulawesi Indonesia.
Place and Duration of Study: The number of respondents involved was as many as 96 farmers in the two sub-sites (Herlang District and Bulukumpa District), Bulukumba Regency South Sulawesi, between May until August 2011
Methodology: Data was collected by oobservation, interview on the basis of questionnaires and focus group discussion (FGD). The collected data were then analyzed in a statistic descriptive method.
Result: The research results indicated that most of cattle were still maintained traditionally (53.12%), of letting the cattle go all day (28.83%), and letting the cattle all noon then tying them at night (32.29%). The number of farmers stalling their cattle was low 46.87% (44 farmers), their cattle just at night (semi-intensive) were 31 farmers, and the one stalling their cattle all days (intensive) were 14 farmers or 12.12% from all respondents. A large number of farmers (88.54%) to feed in rice fields, gardens, and yards, while others to the herding fields 11.46%. The utilization of crop by-product as beef cattle feeding in farmer stills low that was 55.21% of farmers did not use crop by-product as beef cattle feeding. The farmers knew about feeding technology 56.25%, such as ammoniation, hay, silage, and other fermentation technology. Applying level still low that was 24.07%. The farmer’s perception on feeding technology and crop by product utilization relatively still low caused by limited knowledge.
Conclusion: The crop by product utilization as beef cattle feed in Bulukumba Regency is still low. The farmer know about feed technology such as hay ammoniation, fermentation, and silage technology but it less in applying by considering that the availability of natural grasses is still enough for cattle, feed technology is not effective, and cost of cultivation is still high.