ANIMAL PRODUCTION

Application of Moringa oleifera Extract in Feed and Drinking Water as a Feed Additive for Broiler Chickens: A Meta-Analysis Study

2025-09-17T20:53:37+07:00

Herbal plants in animal feed offers a more natural and safer alternative than synthetic antibiotics, which can lead to bacterial resistance and leave residues in poultry products. This meta-analysis study evaluated the potential of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) leaves extract as a feed additive for broiler chickens, comparing two administration methods, inclusion in feed or dilution in drinking water. Data were obtained from 29 relevant articles sourced from Google Scholar and Scopus, resulting in the analysis of 123 studies using SAS software. The results showed that administering Moringa leaves in feed significantly increased final body weight and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR), with an average FCR value of 1.92. No significant effects (P>0.05) on were identified in Moringa-boost drinking water. The average final weight of chickens given Moringa in feed compared to in drinking water was 2.09 kg vs. 2.04 kg. The carcass yield from Moringa extract in feed compared to drinking water was 71.11% vs. 78.35%. Conclusively, solid Moringa leaf extract at a dose of 0.71–1.04% is a more effective feed additive because higher dosages induce anti-nutritional factors like tannins and saponins that reduce performance. This finding offers a valuable reference for farmers to utilize local resources in cost-effective and eco-friendly way to enhance broiler chicken production efficiency.

Livestock Farmer’s Commitment to Children’s Education: A PLS-SEM Analysis Study in Banyumas Regency

2025-09-17T20:53:38+07:00

Education is the most powerful weapon and is the key to success. The livestock farmers' children's education is very important and related to the role of education in increasing knowledge, skill, and attitude, which improves the welfare of the farmer's family. Therefore, improving the farmers' commitment to children's education and the factors affected by it is necessary. Based on the previous statement, this study aimed to reveal the factors influencing farmers' commitment to children's education. This study was conducted in the Baturraden, Sumbang, Kembaran, and Sokaraja Subdistricts, Banyumas Regency, from January to February 2023, using a cross-sectional survey approach. A total of 525 livestock farmers were recorded as respondents. The data obtained were Structural Equational Modeling Partial Least Square (SEM-PLS) analyzed utilizing the SmartPLS 4 software. The results of this study showed that the increase in farmers' financial condition, children's desires, interests, and motivation could increase farmers' commitment to children's education. The farmers’ knowledge of education services variables did not affect the farmers’ commitment. Farmers’ financial conditions could indirectly affect farmers’ commitment through interests and motivation. A similar condition also occurred in farmers' children’s desire and knowledge of education services. It could be concluded from this study that improving farmers' financial condition followed by intense government educational services information dissemination could improve farmers' commitment to children's education, which would enhance children's academic level in rural areas of Indonesia.

Post-Thaw Quality of Bali Cattle Semen in CEP Diluent: Optimizing Temperature and Duration

2026-01-09T10:47:01+07:00

The thawing method is a crucial stage in the semen freezing process because it determines the quality of spermatozoa post-thawing. This study aims to evaluate the effect of thawing temperature and duration on the quality of frozen Bali cattle semen in CEP diluent. Semen was collected from a Bali bull at the Singosari Artificial Insemination Center, added to CEP diluent, and frozen. It was then thawed using three temperature variations (37°C, 30°C, and 25°C) and two durations (30 and 60 seconds) in a 3x2 factorial completely randomized design. Post-thawing evaluation included motility, viability, and membrane integrity analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Duncan's test. The results showed that thawing temperature significantly affected all parameters (P<0.05). A temperature of 37°C produced the highest motility, viability, and membrane integrity. Thawing duration significantly affected motility and membrane integrity, with the best results obtained at 30 seconds. There was no significant interaction between thawing temperature and duration, but the combination of 37°C and 30 seconds produced the best post-thawing motility (56.67±2.89). An optimal thawing combination was identified, with temperature and duration independently affecting sperm quality, offering practical guidelines for Bali cattle artificial insemination programs.

Improving Farmers’ Knowledge of Sheep Manure-Based Bokashi Fertilizer in Sukabumi: A Development Communication Approach

2026-01-27T09:34:36+07:00

Sheep farming in Gegerbitung District, Sukabumi Regency, generates a significant amount of feces waste that is not optimally utilized. This study examines the role of development communication in improving farmers' knowledge regarding the innovation of processing sheep manure into bokashi fertilizer. The study aims to (1) assess farmers' knowledge levels on utilizing sheep manure before and after extension activities, (2) analyze differences in knowledge levels between pre- and post-extension periods, and (3) examine the relationship between farmers' characteristics and their knowledge improvement. This research employs a quantitative pre-test and post-test design involving 117 sheep farmers selected through purposive sampling from five farmer groups. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive analysis, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and Spearman's rank correlation. The results indicate a significant increase in farmers' knowledge after the extension activities. The Wilcoxon test yielded a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), confirming a significant difference in knowledge levels before and after the training. Spearman's correlation analysis showed a positive relationship between age and knowledge level (rs = 0.190, p < 0.05), while the number of livestock owned had a negative correlation with knowledge level (rs = −0.314, p < 0.01). These findings highlight the effectiveness of development communication in facilitating knowledge transfer among farmers. The study suggests that future extension programs, in addition to addressing labor and time constraints, should be tailored to the demographic characteristics of farmers to enhance the adoption of sustainable waste management innovations

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Local Indonesian Sheep Based on Rearing Systems and Animal Age

2026-01-25T18:33:58+07:00

This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) in local Indonesian sheep based on the rearing system and animal age. Fecal samples were taken transrectally from lamb (<8 months) and adult sheep (>1 year), which were reared intensively and semi-intensively, each with a total of 25 samples. Furthermore, the fecal samples were processed using the floating method with a saturated salt solution (NaCl). Fecal Egg Counting (FEC), larvae, and nematode types were carried out microscopically in the Universal Whitlock counting chamber. The general linear model (GLM) analyzed the data with 95% confidence and continued with Tukey's test if interactions between factors were found. The results showed that the rearing system or age of the sheep did not have a significant influence and did not show an interaction (p>0.05) on the FEC. However, the average FEC of sheep reared semi-intensively, both in lambs and adult sheep, respectively, tended to be higher than in those reared intensively (898.75±280.36 vs 469.09±120.40 and 692.50±220.57 vs 513.00±106.88). It can be concluded that the semi-intensive rearing system and lambs are more susceptible to Gastrointestinal Nematode (GIN) infections if they are not accompanied by good rearing management, and the dominant type of worm found in sheep feces is Strongyloides spp.

Toward the Development of a New Libyan Local Chicken Breed

2026-01-23T21:33:45+07:00

This study aims to describe the Libyan chicken breed and its origin, and to evaluate its potential for the development of a new Libyan local chicken breed with high genetic quality and productivity. A qualitative research design has been implemented to carry out this research with a descriptive-analytical approach. Data collection was done by reviewing scholarly literature from scientific journals, academic books, and credible online databases. This research analyzed previous studies to determine patterns that outline the genetic potentials, challenges, and opportunities in breeding programs for enhancing the productivity and resilience of Libyan local chickens. The results showed that the indigenous chicken varieties of Libya, such as Gallus gallus, Baladi or El-Balad, and Hypeco, are essential to the nation's agricultural and culinary traditions. These varieties are hardy and ideal for rural and semi-urban locations with limited access to contemporary farming infrastructure. This study's findings highlight Hypeco's potential as a top contender for the creation of a new breed of locally grown chickens in Libya with superior genetic quality and productivity. In the face of issues with food security, their resilience to intense heat, limited feed supply, and limited water supplies makes them priceless assets. A lack of effective farming methods, contemporary breeding procedures, and the required infrastructure limits these local hens' production and economic viability. These local hens' production and economic viability are limited by a lack of effective farming methods, contemporary breeding procedures, and the required infrastructure. Building infrastructure to assist the regional poultry business should also be a priority. This entails expanding access to veterinary care, storage facilities, water, and high-quality feed.

The Quality of Cattle Manure Compost with Addition of Various Peatland Vegetation

2026-01-25T18:09:22+07:00

This study aimed to determine the quality of cattle manure compost with the addition of various peatland vegetation plants. The study used a Completely Randomized Design consisting of five treatments with four replications, namely P1 (Stenochlaena palustris), P2 (Dryopteris sp.), P3 (Hymenachne amplexicaulis), P4 (Eleocharis dulcis), and P5 (Imperata cylindrica). The observed parameters included the physical and chemical properties of compost. Data on physical properties were descriptively analyzed, while chemical properties were analyzed using analysis of variance followed by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test when significant differences were found among treatments. The results showed that composts P1 and P2 exhibited changes in color, smell, and texture. Compost P3 showed only a color change. Composts P4 and P5 showed changes in color and smell. Final compost temperature ranged from 28.50 to 28.88°C. The addition of peatland vegetation significantly affected pH, organic C, total N, and C/N ratio (P<0.01).

Comparative Analysis of Housing Systems: Microclimate, Production Performance, and Economic Efficiency in Broiler Housing System

2026-02-09T13:18:39+07:00

Microclimate conditions significantly influence broiler production efficiency in tropical climates. This study evaluated microclimate conditions and their impact on production and economic efficiency in open, semi-closed, and closed housing systems. The research was conducted on three commercial farms representing each housing system in West Java. Microclimate parameters (temperature, relative humidity, heat stress index) and production performance (body weight, FCR, mortality, production index) were measured over one production cycle. Results showed that the closed-house system maintained significantly better microclimate conditions with lower temperature deviations (brooding: -0.52°C; post-brooding: -0.35°C) compared to open (1.06°C; 5.11°C) and semi-closed houses (0.07°C; 1.54°C). The closed-house system achieved significantly higher final body weight (2397.6 g/bird), production index (434), and income over feed cost (Rp 31,238/bird) compared to other systems. Correlation analysis revealed strong negative relationships between temperature parameters and production performance (p<0.01). The closed-house system demonstrated superior microclimate control, leading to significantly improved production efficiency and economic returns.