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 reviews the current status of Bali cattle in Indonesia based on national and regional statistical records and research and subjective information from government and university officers and farming groups in the regions where Bali cattle are produced. The research found that Bali cattle are the predominant beef cattle in the Eastern Islands of Indonesia, amounting to around 80 per cent of the total 2.95 million Bali cattle in the country. Overall numbers have declined in three of the last four years, which is believed to be a long-term trend.

This paper explores the development of livestock production in Indonesia, with a focus on issues of autonomy. It maintains that the effort to develop livestock production is strongly related to decisions made by institutions in various fields and sectors in a given area or region. The opportunity to develop animal production results from interactions between commodity, sectoral and location factors as well as between the proper use of human resources and related factors in development such as technology, socioeconomic conditions and variations in ecosystems within a particular area.

Early weaning of Bali calves at six months of age increases herd reproductive efficiency and offers beef smallholders an opportunity to increase productivity and cash flow. This report assesses numerous feeding strategies aimed at increasing the growth rate of early weaned Bali calves in Sulawesi Tengah, East Java, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara. Results demonstrate that simple feeding strategies available to farmers could increase growth rates from 0.1-0.2kg/d to over 0.4kg/d by including high protein feeds such a leucaena, sesbania or copra meal.

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.

This article presents an overview of a management system that was established to monitor Bali cattle performance on the islands of Lombok and Sumbawa. Research was carried out over a three-year period in two villages on each island—one village adopting new management and the other retaining prevailing management. The primary components of new management were: controlled seasonal natural mating using a selected bull, calf weaning at 5-6 months of age and managing weaner diets.

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.

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.

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.

This article examines feeding management practices of smallholder producers at two sites in East Java—lowland and upland—in order to assess the potential for improving beef cattle production based on the availability of local feed resources. The research uses data gathered from a survey of 184 farmers in 2010, focusing on household and farm characteristics, cattle numbers, cropping patterns, and feeding practices, especially with regard to rice straw.