Taking beef supply by the horn

Taking beef supply by the horn
NST Online

The Sultan of Pahang, Sultan Ahmad Shah (third from right), inspecting a Brakmas bull at the the new research centre at Muadzam Shah, Rompin, yesterday.

2008/07/22

MUADZAM SHAH: The Brakmas bull may be the answer to Malaysia's perennial beef shortage.

A cross between the famed Brahman bulls from Texas and local Kedah-Kelantan (KK) cows, the species matures faster and produces calves that will provide more meat on maturity.

The Brakmas, introduced in 1999, will truly make their presence felt when the new RM2.9 million Mardi research centre near here is ready by 2010.

The centre, to have the capacity to raise more than 100 breeding bulls annually, will also supply bulls to multiplier farms where cattle could be reproduced for distribution to small breeders.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Zulkifli Idris said the bulls would breed with local cows and create calves of better quality.

"At present, the old research centre here can only produce about 40 Brakmas bulls annually," he said after the ground-breaking for the new research centre by Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang.

Also present were the Sultanah of Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom, Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and Mardi director-general Datuk Dr Abd Shukor Abd Rahman.

Dr Zulkifli said a Brakmas bull could mate with 25 cows at any one time, compared with the KK bull which could do so with just 10 cows.

"Within two or three years, we will have more crossbreed cattle and increased our self sufficiency level in meat production to 28 per cent compared with 23 per cent at present,"

Less than 20 per cent of the 750,000 cattle in the country are Brakmas.

Dr Zulkifili said Pahang's request to turn Rompin and Pekan into new rice bowl areas would be included in the 10th Malaysia Plan.

He said the government was focusing on the existing rice bowl areas besides developing new ones in Sabah and Sarawak.

He said the ministry would need an allocation to improve the irrigation system in Rompin and Pekan before the districts could be turned into new rice bowl areas.

Earlier, Sultan Ahmad Shah and his consort spent two hours visiting the exhibition area which showcased various Mardi products, including the Brakmas cattle.