Increasing production of integration system of corn and beef cattle in Gowa, South Sulawesi

Abstract

An integrated bioindustry agricultural system of sustainable bioindustrial agricultural system based on the integration of corn and beef cattle has been developed in Gowa Experimental Station, The Assessment Institute of Agriculture Technology South Sulawesi. The aim of this study was to build a waste-free agricultural system, using minimum input of production and energy from outside, the biomass and waste processing system into new high-value, environmentally friendly bio-products. Implementation stages consisted of two parts i.e., corn planting, and maintenance of beef cattle. Corn was planted on area of 1.5 ha by implementing Integrated Crop Management, while eighteen cows were used which were divided into three treatments with six replications. A completely randomized design was used in the study. The results indicated that the integration of corn-beef cattle at the Experimental Station was able to produce 5 tons/ha of shelled corn. Corn straw produced was as much as 3751 kg/ha and corn cob up to 1289 kg/ha for animal feed. The use of fermented corn straw and corn cob as a concentrate was able to increase body weight of cattle by 0.28 kg/head/day. The integration of corn-beef cattle based on bioindustry is potential to increase corn production and improve performance of beef cattle.