May 8, 2023 - KataBali.com – Denpasar, The academic team of the Faculty of Agriculture, Warmadewa University (FP-Unwar) asked local chicken farmers to utilize taro as an alternative feed to maintain feed availability. The academic team consisting of Dr. I Gusti Agus Maha Putra Sanjaya, S.Pt., MM, Ir. Ni Ketut Etty Suwitari, M.Si and Ir. I Nyoman, Kaca, M.Si recommended the use of taro as an alternative feed because it is quite widely available in the farmer's environment and has not been utilized optimally.
Moreover, on the other hand, farmers are currently facing the high cost of factory/commercial feed. "Taro has a fairly high economic value in the form of tubers, leaf sheaths are widely used as food, medicine and wrapping. Leaves, tuber remains, and tuber skins can be used as animal and fish feed directly or after fermentation," said Gusti Agus Putra Sanjaya, Head of the Community Partnership Program Team of FP-Unwar when confirmed in Denpasar on Monday (8/5).
According to Agus Sanjaya, the use of taro as an alternative feed has been socialized and tested in the Manuk Amertha Livestock Group, Segah Hamlet, Asahduren Village, Pekutatan-Jembaran. Chicken farmers have also been provided with knowledge on how to process taro into alternative feed. Agus Sanjaya hopes that through the use of taro leaves, farmers can reduce the price of feed which is quite expensive, in addition taro leaves can also increase egg productivity because they have quite high nutrition.
Considering that feed costs have been the largest production costs with a percentage of 60-70 percent of the total production costs. He said that native chickens have not been considered as the main livestock business commodity that supports the income and welfare of families/livestock groups. Rural communities raise native chickens as a source of family food to meet the needs of eggs and meat.
The increase in the population of native chickens is inseparable from the high demand of the community for this local poultry commodity. The increasing demand from the community has created business opportunities in the cultivation of native chickens. Native chickens have great opportunities in terms of agro-ecosystems and the environment, along with increasing income and public awareness of the importance of the quantity and quality of nutritious and safe food ingredients.
The use of native chickens in Bali, apart from being livestock that produce meat and eggs, is also used as a means of religious ceremonies as caru chickens. Some colors that can be categorized into caru chickens in Bali are chickens that have feathers with white, yellow, black, red, and brumbun colors.
