Fat-tailed sheep in Indonesia; an essential resource for smallholders

Calculation of livestock biomass and value by province in Indonesia: Key information to support policymaking

Accurate estimations of the biomass and value of livestock in Indonesia are of great use in supporting investment decisions by the public and private sector and as a basis for estimating the losses due to animal disease. Biomass and the partial direct use value for key livestock species (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens) for all provinces of Indonesia were derived from secondary data using a novel spreadsheet-based model. Using beef cattle as an example, we also explored the use of a herd dynamics model to validate base data on populations and productivity used to generate biomass values, and these were found to be generally robust. Total partial direct use value of livestock is estimated to be almost USD54 billion in 2021, comprising almost USD33 billion of population value and almost USD21 billion of production value. Beef cattle account for 44% of total value and chicken (broiler, layer and native chickens) account for a further 36% of the total. Breaking the data down by province reveals the regional importance of some livestock types that are of relatively minor importance nationally (pigs in East Nusa Tenggara and sheep in West Java). It also reveals the importance of livestock in the poorest provinces of Indonesia, where livestock acts as a store of wealth and serves socio-cultural purposes.

Ectoparasites Infestation to Small Ruminants and Practical Attitudes among Farmers toward Acaricides Treatment in Central Region of Java, Indonesia

Ectoparasite infestations are one of the major problems affecting goat and sheep farming. Disease resulting from these infestations can cause changes in physical appearance, such as severe lesions on the skin, and economic consequences in the form of significantly reduced selling prices. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of ectoparasites in the Boyolali district, Central Java, Indonesia. A total of 651 sheep and goats were surveyed in this study. The parasites were collected via skin scraping, twister, or manually from clinically infected goats and sheep in traditional farms. All of the ectoparasites collected were successfully identified. The prevalence of ectoparasites in ruminants in Boyolali was 97.8% (637/651). The species make-up was as follows: Bovicola caprae 97.8% (637/651), Linognathus africanus 39% (254/651), Haemaphysalis bispinosa 3.5% (23/651), Ctenocephalides spp. 0.2% (1/651), and Sarcoptes scabiei 5.2% (34/651). The predilection sites were in the face, ear, and leg areas, and in the axillary, dorsal, abdomen, and scrotum regions of the surveyed animals. An evaluation of farmers' attitudes to ectoparasites was performed using a questionnaire. The findings of this study imply that animals in the investigated area are highly exposed to ectoparasite infestations. Given the importance of ectoparasites in both livestock and human communities, specifically in the health domain, more research into appropriate control strategies is necessary.

Sheep Post-Domestication Expansion in the Context of Mitochondrial and Y Chromosome Haplogroups and Haplotypes

Mitochondrial DNA and nonrecombinant parts of Y-chromosome DNA are a great tool for looking at a species’ past. They are inherited for generations almost unaffected because they do not participate in recombination; thus, the time of occurrence of each mutation can be estimated based on the average mutation rate. Thanks to this, male and female haplogroups guide confirming events in the distant past (potential centers of domestication, settlement of areas, trade connections) as well as in modern breeding (crossbreeding, confirmation of paternity). This research focuses mainly on the development of domestic sheep and its post-domestication expansion, which has occurred through human trade from one continent to another. So far, five mitochondrial and five Y-chromosome haplogroups and dozens of their haplotypes have been detected in domestic sheep through studies worldwide. Mitochondrial DNA variability is more or less correlated with distance from the domestication center, but variability on the recombinant region of the Y chromosome is not. According to available data, central China shows the highest variability of male haplogroups and haplotypes.

Haematological profiles of Indonesian fat-tailed sheep under different physiological conditions

The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of sex, age, feed and physiological conditions on the haematological profiles of Indonesian fat-tailed sheep. A total of 32 healthy Indonesian fat-tailed sheep in different physiological states (i.e. suckling lambs/weaners aged 1-5 months, postweaning lambs aged 6-8 months, lactating ewes, rams, and pregnant ewes) were used in this study. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein and then transferred into tubes for haematological analysis. The results revealed the following: RBCs, 7.09 ± 0.52 million µL^-1; HCT, 46.76 ± 4.30%; Hb, 9.83 ± 0.57 g dL^-1; MCV, 69.88 ± 5.48 fL; MCH, 14.94 ± 0.71 pg; MCHC, 24.29 ± 1.36 g dL^-1; WBCs, 5.60 ± 1.24 thousand µL^-1; percentage of neutrophils, 58.30 ± 7.31%; percentage of lymphocytes, 41.63 ± 7.31%; and N/L ratio, 0.18 ± 0.05. The physiological status of the sheep affected RBCs, Hb, HCT and MCH (P < 0.05). The sex, age, feed and physiological status of the animals should be considered in the interpretation of haematological profiles in Indonesian fat-tailed sheep.

Detection of Pestivirus in small ruminants in Central Java, Indonesia

Background and Aim:

Globally, pestiviruses are among the most economically important viral pathogens of livestock. The genus Pestivirus comprises four species, including bovine viral diarrhea virus type 1 and 2 (BVDV-1 and BVDV-2), which infect cattle, border disease virus and classical swine fever virus which infect small ruminants and pigs, respectively. Accumulating evidence suggests that pestiviruses are no longer species-specific, creating new challenges for disease control. In Indonesia, investigations related to pestiviruses remain focused on cattle as the primary host and no research has been conducted on small ruminants (sheep and goats). Therefore, the present study aimed to study the possible occurrence of pestivirus (BVDV or BVD) infections in small ruminants in Indonesia, particularly in Central Java.

Materials and Methods:

We used 46 blood samples consisting of 26 sheep’s blood and 20 goat’s blood. Samples were selected from 247 small ruminant blood collected between July and October 2020 in Central Java, Indonesia, which met the following criteria: Female, local species, approximately 1-2 years old, never been pregnant, raised in the backyard, and had no close contact with cattle in either shelter or grazing area. We tested plasma samples from sheep and goats using competitive antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect specific antibodies against pestivirus followed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis for all positive samples to differentiate the species of pestivirus.

Results:

Two of the 20 samples collected from goats were positive for pestivirus at the serological and molecular levels, whereas 2 of 26 samples collected from sheep were doubtful but tested negative by RT-PCR. The genotyping test results obtained using nested PCR revealed that the positive samples collected from goats had a BVDV-1 genotype.

Conclusion:

The results of the present study demonstrated that BVDV-1 can infect species other than bovines, in Central Java, Indonesia. Further studies involving a larger number of samples are required to: (1) Determine the actual seroprevalence of pestiviruses in small ruminants and (2) Determine the potency of small ruminants as reservoirs for pestiviruses, both of which are important for the identification of the appropriate control program for pestiviruses in Indonesia.

The impact of religious festival on roadside livestock traders in urban and peri-urban areas of Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Background and Aim:

Eid al-Adha is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Muslims in Indonesia. Roadside livestock traders open their stalls during the Eid al-Adha period. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and behaviors of roadside livestock traders in urban and peri-urban areas in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Materials and Methods:

In-depth interviews with 36 roadside livestock traders were conducted on August 7-23, 2018 in urban (n=20) and peri-urban (n=16) areas of Yogyakarta. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive and statistical analysis using one-way analysis of variance.

Results:

The results indicate that the trading activities of roadside livestock traders in urban areas last longer (p<0.05) than in peri-urban areas. No difference was found in the opening day of stalls, the number of buyers, and trends in animal prices set by roadside livestock traders in urban and peri-urban areas. Most traders sell sheep and goats, buy livestock at the animal market, and only open their stalls during Eid al-Adha. Prices are high in this period, and buyers directly visit the stalls. A significant difference exists in the selling price of livestock between Eid al-Adha and ordinary days (non-festival), and most roadside traders benefit from the Eid al-Adha momentum.

Conclusion:

Significant similarities exist among roadside livestock traders during the Eid al-Adha period in urban and peri-urban areas of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Sheep are more desirable than goats and cattle in this period, and Eid al-Adha generates a high profit for roadside livestock traders.