KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has received 780 head of beef cattle from Darwin, Australia, to enhance livestock productivity and farmer income through an integrated livestock and palm oil plantation program.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister Datuk Jamawi Jaafar stated that of this total, 750 are female cattle while 30 are male cattle of the Brahman Cross breed, which is well-suited to Sabah’s hot and humid climate.
He noted that this shipment is part of the State Government’s initiative to improve local livestock genetics and strengthen the livestock industry through integration with palm oil plantations.
“Two weeks ago, I accompanied directors and officers from the Veterinary Services Department to three locations to source livestock.
“In addition to 780 beef cattle from Darwin, we also purchased 395 dairy cattle and 800 Boer goats from Melbourne and New Spain,” he said.
The overall budget for these cattle is RM10 million annually, he added.
He explained that the program aims to assist farmers with palm oil plantations to increase their income by integrating cattle farming within their plantation areas.
According to him, selected farmers have completed training conducted by the Veterinary Services Department and are prepared to manage livestock using high-quality breeds.
He noted that the Brahman Cross breed was selected because it is more suitable for Sabah’s weather conditions compared to purebred Brahman cattle.
“Until now, some farmers still use local breeds inherited over five to ten generations. Sometimes they need to wait years to obtain cattle births.
“By using breeds with better productivity, we hope to increase farmer income,” he added.
