MALAYSIA TO BUILD FEED MILLS FOR LIVESTOCK

BANDAR LAMPUNG (SUMATRA), Jan 18 (Bernama) -- Malaysia will build feed mills
to support and develop the livestock industry as part of efforts to increase
beef supply for local consumption.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister, Noh Omar, said
Marditech, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mardi and Sime Darby, will be asked to
venture into the field to overcome shortage of the meat in the country as well
as to overcome the problem of high price now.

Institute of Agricultural Research and Development Malaysia (Malaysian
Agriculture Research and Development Institute) (MARDI) was established with the
objective of developing and to improve appropriate new technology and related
industries in agriculture in Malaysia.


"The government will offer an area in the Kluang, a town in southern
Johor-state in Peninsular Malaysia, modern agriculture
project for the mill and at the same time encourage farmers in the country to
grow crops for the feed like corn and tapioca using the contractual farming
concept," he told Malaysian journalists here Monday.

Noh, who is heading a delegation of senior government officials and
officials of government-linked companies, is here to visit the Bekri feedlot
cattle centre, P.T. Sentosa Agrindo, as well as the livestock feed producing
centre at the Japfa Commfeed and Fodder Cultivation Area here today.

The delegation includes his ministry's secretary-general, Mohd Mokhtar
Ismail, and the director-general of the Malaysian Veterinary Services
Department, Abdul Aziz Jamaluddin.

Noh said in efforts to further develop the livestock industry, especially
cattle, he had asked the Veterinary Services Department to draft a new policy
for cattle rearing in the country.

The policy must have two components namely purchase of cattle to be fattened
in the country and purchase of cattle for reproduction.

"Supply of beef locally is still insufficient and we have to import the meat
from several countries and the amount has to be increased each festive season,"
he said.

The minister said the cattle rearing industry, especially using the feedlot
concept, had high potential for growth and the feedlots would benefit farmers
who grow crops for the industry using the contractual farming concept or
satellite farming.

Meanwhile, Abdul Aziz said the farmers in Malaysia would be encouraged to
grow fodder grass like 'napier' or corn to support the industry under the green
earth project.

He said under the green earth project farmers involved in planting fodder
crops will be assisted with seed supply, fertilisers and marketing by the
government.
Private sector companies that become millers would ensure purchase of the
fodder, he said.
The P.T. Santosa Agrindo feedlot centre, or known by its short name Santori,
which was visited by the Malaysian delegation is a modern facility using the
bio-security method.
The 72ha centre can accomodate 20,000 cows and is the centre to introduce
cattle from Australia for the Indonesian market.
For example, a Brahman Cross breed cow from Australia that comes aged
between one and one-and-a-half years and weighing 350kg can be fattened at the
feedlots to be between 400-500kg in 100 days.
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NOH-LIVESTOCK 4 (LAST) BANDAR LAMPUNG

The Wagyu Cross breed cow brought to the centre with a weight of 250kg can
weigh 500kg between 300-600 days.

The Wagyu Cross at the feedlot can be bred with the Australian Angus and it
has better quality meat which can be sold at a higher price.

Santori is managed in an integrated manner, where food supply for the cattle
is processed in its godown in the same compound with corn and tapioca grown in
the same area, besides buying more from local farmers under the contractual
farming concept.

The cow dung, washed away from the cement floors of the cow pens each day,
is drained to a holding area closed with special plastic covers and can produce
biogas for power generation.

The biogas project at Santori which began in 1997 is in its last stages of
experimentation and is expected to be commercialised next year.

The gas produced at the biogas centre has the capacity to generate 1
megawatt of energy.

-- BERNAMA