Uggah: Cattle-rearing in estates can help up cattle production

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Uggah (second left) being briefed on the feed produced at Melikin Estate.

SERIAN: The participation of oil palm estates and individual small holders in cattle-rearing can help Sarawak to increase its 50 per cent Self Sufficiency Level (SSL) in beef by 2030, says  Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah.

Speaking to reporters after officiating at the handing over of 81 head of breeder cattle to the Salcra Melikin oil palm estate near here Friday, he said the 81 head were part of the herd of 640 including 15 bulls imported from Australia last month.

“Cattle-rearing in oil palm estates can increase cattle production because Sarawak has a huge area under the crop. With an estimated 1.5 million hectares of land planted with oil palm  and an estimated 40 per cent or 600,000 hectares suitable for cattle rearing, we can rear  up to 120,000 head (at a stock rate of one animal per five hectare oil palm),” he added.

Uggah said on their part, the Sarawak government would continue to assist  estates by providing cattle on loan under its  Cattle Pawah Programne (CPP).

Under the programme, breeder cattle would be distributed to the participating estates and small holders who have to pay back to the government the matching number (of cattle) within a period of up to six years, comprising at least 50 per cent of them female.

The returned animals would then be redistributed to other estates or individuals, and the circle continues.

“To-date, a total of 44 estates and 14 smallholders have been assisted with 11,511 head of breeder cattle consisting of 10,816 heifers and 695 bulls under the programme,” he said.

Uggah, who is Minister of Modernisation of Agriculture, Native Land and Regional Development, said cattle-rearing was another source of income for the estates beside helping them to make some savings.

He said the idea of rearing cattle in estates was initially to get rid of the grass in estates (to mow grass), but now has evolved into commercial rearing.

Apart from reducing chemical usage and  weeding, rearing cattle maximises land use.