Only 20,000 Sabah buffaloes
Published on: Friday, February 24, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: New strategies need to be formulated to develop the ruminant industry, especially buffaloes in the State.Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin who is also Agriculture and Food Industry Minister said the development of the ruminant sector in Sabah has been sluggish due to various factors like low animal stocks, low productivity, low reproductive performance as well as high calf mortalities and high extraction rate. "Theft and the use of low technology traditional systems of farming by smallholders who own the majority of buffaloes in the State also contributes to the slow growth of this sector. ADVERTISEMENT "The increasing use of farm machineries in agriculture replacing animal draught power further aggravates not only on its numbers but also husbandry of these 'living assets' becoming feral due to negligence," he said during the signing ceremony of a research agreement on enhancing the productivity of farmed buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), here, on Thursday.As such, Yahya said this calls for intervention in areas such as feed and feeding; breeding, herd health and others to ensure that the existing 'indigenous swamp buffaloes' in the State do no face further decline or extinction, but on the contrary be transformed to generate better income for farmers. According to him, in 2000, Sabah has the biggest buffalo population in the country with 52,000 or 35 per cent of the total number of buffaloes in Malaysia."And now there are only about 20,000 buffaloes in the State and this is quite worrying."ADVERTISEMENT In this regard, he said through the collaborative project on enhancing the productivity of farmed buffaloes, the Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Industry (Dovsai) has expanded the scope of research to ultimately establish a 'nucleus herd' with the providence of RM2.1 million from the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti)."This tripartite joint venture will see Dovsai providing farm assets for research works; Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), expertise and research facilities whilst funding totally by the Agro Biotechnology Institute (ABI) under the purview of the National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia (NIBM).
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"This great synergy, in line with the National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) will definitely benefit the institutions and players involved in the industry in the long run. "I hope the results of this research will trigger and stimulate greater interest for farmers to acquire better buffalo genetics aimed at increasing productivity and re-productivity. "The development of new arenas for wealth creation, including possible livestock businesses beyond the shores of Sabah to fill the vacuum in demand for buffaloes in neighbouring states/countries, should also be put in the limelight. "Nonetheless, I am of the opinion that all efforts in research and development activities in the sector must eventually churn out sufficient products for the needs of the State hence ensuring food security and self-sufficiency without continually depending on imports which will drain financial resources," he said.Meanwhile, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau said the government has set a target for local meat production of 50 per cent by 2020.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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"Currently, Malaysia is only producing between 28 and 30 per cent of cow and buffalo meat or 170,000 metric tonne and we have to depend on imported meat to cover the insufficiency," he said.The agreement was signed by Dovsai Director Datuk Dr Yeo Boon Kiat, ABI Executive Director Assoc Prof Dr Norihan Mohd Salleh and UPM Deputy Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Husaini Omar. - Ricardo Unto