LAWAS, Feb 1: Sarawak wants to take its buffalo breeding industry to a higher level and have identified strategies to propel it.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said these include bringing in breeding stocks from countries like Australia and India.
“Australian breed could grow up to huge size of 800kg, compared to local breed at between 300 and 400kg. We aim to improve our breeding technology including the application of artificial insemination.
“Of course one of the most important factors is to ensure we have enough feed for them,” he told reporters this after visiting the Maragang Buffalo Breeding Station here today.
The station, with a develop area of 194 hectares out of the total of 488 hectares, is to produce quality swamp buffaloes for breeding purposes for farmers.
It also serves as a breeding training centre and currently has 477 buffaloes, of which 252 were imported last year from Australia, while the balance are local breed.
Uggah, who is also the Minister of Agriculture Modernisation, Native Land and Regional Development, said the ministry is also focussing on feed development.
He added that the processed oil palm fronds has potential, as Sabah was using it in its industry.
“We have around two million hectares under oil palm and daily, there is a lot of fronds pruning work. We may be accessible to 100,000 hectares, so, one can imagine the amount of fronds generated.
“Furthermore, if we can develop other feed sources from maize, pineapple and other biomass, we can definitely lower the cost for farmers.
“These would help the farmers greatly as well as motivate more youth into the industry, he continued.
Uggah said there was a need to develop intensive farm models, where a five acre site could be used to breed 30 heads.
“Our objective is to have between 11,000 to 12,000 heads by 2030. In the industry heyday in 2000, we had 12,000 heads but currently we have 5,000.”
Uggah said the government want to revive the industry to help contribute to Sarawak’s aim to be a net exporter of food and food products by 2030.
“There is a lot of demand for buffalo meat in the region,” he said. — DayakDaily
