This report compares and contrasts the potential for use of a public private partnership approach to solve the problems of low productivity and inadequate smallholder income in the beef cattle and cocoa industries in eastern Indonesia. Overall, the study found that the potential for improvement of productivity in the beef industry—in order to reduce import dependence and meet market demand—appears much lower than the potential for success in improving profitability and sustainability in the cocoa industry by improving yields and quality.

This paper examines the economic feasibility of best-bet feeding strategies to increase live weight gain of early weaned Bali calves to identify opportunities for increased profit above feed costs on-farm. The research evaluates 53 feeding strategies in 14 on-station experiments in Central Sulawesi, East Java, East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara. The best-bet feeding strategy at each site was implemented, monitored and adapted on-farm in villages for six months.

In this paper, Priyanti et al. examine the nature and potential of small-scale cattle production in East Java, with a particular focus on the relation between crop and cattle production. A study was carried out in 2010 with 194 cattle producers across two sites (irrigated lowlands and rain-fed uplands) to explore constraints facing cattle producers in these environments and potential means to enhance their production systems and incomes.

Small-scale beef cattle production in East Java, Indonesia, is mostly undertaken to generate household income to meet current farm-household needs. This article presents research undertaken to understand the factors affecting the prices, hence the incomes, received by small-scale cattle producers in East Java. Research was conducted in two sites (one irrigated lowland and one rain-fed upland) in 2010-11, involving monthly monitoring with 184 farmers. Data was recorded for each of the 353 cattle sold during the two-year period. Cattle were sold in the village to local or district traders.

This report examines the cattle marketing chain in Bali and Lombok and describes the role of its various stakeholders. It also identifies the role that farmer groups play in assisting smallholders to link to the market chain, and the characteristics of farmer groups and their leaders that result in greater access to markets. The research uses a mix of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, the latter involving two multiple regression analyses.

In this paper, the authors describe the successful implementation of an integrated village management system to improve reproductive efficiency in beef cattle production. They also review the results of a range of studies conducted to develop feeding strategies to increase growth of early weaned Bali cattle across eastern Indonesia, as well as the potential use of crop residues, including rice straw, as a basal diet for reproducing females.

Beef production is a major industry in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and, given the high rate of poverty, future development of the industry has the potential to significantly contribute to poverty reduction. This report outlines the potential of the NTT beef industry, the main value chain issues and options for possible interventions to improve smallholder returns. The author details numerous opportunities for improved productivity and development of the beef industry given the strong demand for NTT beef, established trading systems and the potential for expansion of grazing land area.

Bali cattle is one of the four existing indigenous cattle breeds in Indonesia. This article reviews cattle characteristics and husbandry methods in the country with a special focus on the importance of Bali cattle. The study shows that indigenous cattle are an important and integral component of the small landholder cattle production system, which is essentially 'organic' in nature and the most sustainable system.

One of the major constraints to improving livestock production of Bali cattle is the quantity and quality of available animal feed. Improving feed quality by introducing higher quality forages can go a long way towards removing some of those constraints. This report provides an overview and analysis of six ACIAR-funded forage research projects in Indonesia, focused on increasing the adoption of productivity-improving technologies to enhance the incomes and livelihoods of crop-livestock smallholders in eastern Indonesia.

Limited information exists about the growth of young Bali calves under local feeding strategies which are likely to be adopted by farmers. In this article, the authors examine a range of diets designed to increase the growth rate of young Bali cattle and develop practical feeding strategies to complement weaning in order to improve cattle production systems of smallholder farmers in Central Sulawesi. Three experiments were conducted to determine liveweight gain and feed and water intake of weaned Bali cattle offered a range of feed types.