Sabah introduces a 10 per cent livestock bond under its Ruminant Transformation programme to protect breeding stock and increase cattle and goat populations.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is introducing a 10 per cent livestock bond under its state Ruminant Transformation Programme to discourage farmers from selling breeding cattle and goats prematurely and boost livestock numbers.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar said farmers would receive their bonds back after three years if they met the programme’s conditions.
He said the programme, implemented for about 10 years, had yet to produce a significant increase in the state’s cattle and goat populations.
“A cow is valued at about RM16,000, while a goat costs RM1,600. Farmers must pay a bond equivalent to 10 per cent of the animal’s value for three years.
“If the cattle remain productive and produce two to three calves during that period, the bond will be refunded to help farmers expand their businesses,” he said.
Jamawi was speaking after receiving 950 goats from Sydney, Australia, worth about RM1.6 million, and 140 Jersey-Friesian dairy cattle at the MASKargo facility at Kota Kinabalu International Airport here yesterday.
He said 395 dairy cattle had been allocated under the programme, with the remaining 255 scheduled to arrive on Oct 27.
The newly arrived livestock will undergo about a week of quarantine at the Veterinary Services Department in Penampang before distribution to eligible recipients from Oct 28, subject to quarantine requirements.
Jamawi said the goat programme had two main objectives: strengthening existing livestock farmers and helping oil palm smallholders diversify their income through integrated livestock farming.
Nineteen farmers will receive goats, while the dairy cattle will be managed by two entities, SLDB in Keningau and Desa Keningau.
He said the Jersey-Friesian breed was selected for its suitability to Keningau’s hot climate and its potential to produce up to 30 litres of milk daily, compared with the current average of 14 to 15 litres among the two recipients.
Jamawi said he had joined Veterinary Services Department officers in selecting livestock at several locations in Australia, including Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, to ensure the animals met local farmers’ needs.
He said the livestock was transported by special flight, taking about eight hours from Sydney to Sabah, instead of eight to nine days by sea, to safeguard animal welfare.
“We want to ensure the livestock supplied is of good quality and can serve as productive breeding stock for several generations.
“We want farmers to maintain and expand their livestock populations, rather than sell the breeding animals after their first offspring,” he said.
Separately, Jamawi said Sabah received 850 beef cattle worth about RM10 million the previous week, with distribution to successful applicants beginning on Monday.
The total allocation for the beef cattle, dairy cattle and goats was about RM17 million, he said.
Sabah aims to raise its self-sufficiency level (SSL) for ruminant meat to 40 per cent by 2030, from about 25 per cent for beef and 5.5 per cent for goat meat. The state’s self-sufficiency level for cow’s milk has reached nearly 100 per cent.
Farmers interested in joining the programme can register their interest at their nearest Veterinary Services Department office and attend the required courses.
Jamawi said approvals would depend on applicants’ preparedness, including suitable livestock sheds, land area, feed supply and their ability to manage the animals.
“We do not want to distribute livestock simply to those who apply. We want farmers to have the interest and knowledge to manage the animals properly and help develop Sabah’s ruminant industry,” he said.
Also present was Veterinary Services Department deputy director Keneddy Juani.
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