Status of beef industry of Malaysia
2015
Ariff O. M. | Sharifah N. Y. | Hafidz A. W.
Within the livestock sector in Malaysia the beef sub-sector lags in percentage contribution to domestic supply of red meat. Many attempts in beef production in the past, from extensive ranching to intensive feedlotting, have yielded variable results in sustaining the beef industry. The targeted self sufficiency level of beef of 33% by 2020 entails the annual slaughter of 0.7 million cattle. Existing beef smallholdings are characterized by their small herd size (less than 10 head), low production inputs, lacking in husbandry innovations and poor marketing network, and adoption of KK cattle as the breed of choice. With 5.2 million hectares of oil palm of various ages Malaysia has the input endowment to maintain a sizeable population of a million breeding cows created from the existing cattle population of 0.75 million head as well as through importation of selected breeding stock assembled in an integrated beef and palm oil production system. Besides the once valuable buffalo is an important genetic resource often neglected and can be harnessed to compliment the domestic beef supply. Smallholder dairy enterprises could be promoted to generate dual produce strategy of milk and feeder cattle for fattening. Oil palm byproducts such as palm kernel cake and oil palm fronds have the potential to fully feed cattle and buffalo in semi-intensive cow-calf production and intensive feedlotting of feeder cattle and buffalo. Strengthening the value chain from breeding stock use to marketing of animals and retail products is a much needed approach to promote and expand the beef industry in this country.
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