Protecting and Preventing Local Species from Extinction
Agil Sacawiguna, 27, presents Bratasena, a two-year-old Priangan or Garut sheep that he has decorated, at the Flamboyan Golf Course in Ngamplang village, Cilawu district, Garut regency, Wednesday (19/7). Along with hundreds of other sheep farmers from West Java, Agil took part in the 2017 West Java livestock contest, an annual competition for livestock breeders.
For many people in West Java, raising Priangan sheep (also Garut sheep) is not merely about driving the local economy. Protecting the archipelago’s germ plasm from extinction is another mission.
Breeder Muhammad Kamaludin, 31, of Salam Nunggal village, Leles district, Garut regency, proudly caressed his Priangan sheep (Ovisaries).
At the annual West Java livestock contest, held on Wednesday (19/7/2017) at the Flamboyan Golf Course in Ngampang village, Cilawu district, Garut regency, his sheep called Dewi won first prize in the ratu bibit (queen of seeds) category, beating out dozens of competitors.
At 19 months old, Dewi is a plump, 50-kilogram ewe. She has clean skin and sleek fur. Before the contest, Dewi was bathed and sheared. The jury panel was convinced that Dewi would become a high-quality dam.
Dewi has won two prizes in the past year. Her earlier win was in theIndependence Cup, a Priangan sheep competition that was held at the Bogor Botanical Gardens in August 2016. For his achievements, Kamaludin was invited to meet with President Joko Widodo at Bogor Palace.
“It was a proud moment for me. My sheep and I were allowed to enter the palace. Hopefully, the meeting will urge the president to give more attention to local breeders like me,” he said.
Priangan sheep, locally called domba garut, is an Indonesian species as stipulated in Agriculture Minister’s Decree No. 2914/Kpts/OT.140/6/2011 on Priangan Sheep Stock. The breed is a crossbreed between a local sheep breed, the Afrikaner(Cape fat tail) sheep and the Spanish Merino sheep that was developed in 1850-1860. Today, more than four million Priangan sheep are farmed by around 600,000 breeders in West Java.
Kamaludin did not deny that raising Priangan sheep had boosted his family’s economy. Winning competitions certainly helps, as it raised the value of his sheep.
For instance, before joining any competition, Dewi was valued at aboutRp 10 million (US$750.64). After winning several contests, her value skyrocketed to between Rp 50 million and Rp 100 million.
“I have received an offer of more than Rp 50 million [for Dewi], but I do not want to sell her just yet. If I take care of her a little bit longer and win more competitions with her, her price may still go up,” he said.
Kamaludin said that he understood that his choice to keep Dewi longer would mean greater responsibilities in taking care of her. He has to manage many things to keep her winning contests, including providing a cool and dry pen for her, preparing her feed and preventing diseases. The Priangan sheep is among the few Indonesian breeds that possess a livestock ancestry certificate.
Their maintenance is also more complex than other livestock. They need to be bathed regularly, at least once a week. Every six months, they must be sheared to a thickness of only 0.5 centimeters. Their hooves must be trimmed every four months.
Their meal comprises various ingredients, including grass, pulses, foliage and concentrates. Their diet has to contain enough carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Inheritance
The upkeep of Priangan sheep may seem complex. However, for Kamaludin, who has bred Priangan sheep since his teens, it is second nature. Breeding Priangan sheep has been the family business since his grandfather started it decades ago. Kamaludin once moved to another region, but came home after his parents told him to manage the business.
“What my parents told me is true. If the young people in Garut refused to breed Priangan sheep, who will do it? This is a God-given natural wealth for Garut. We have to keep it alive,” he said.
Kamaludin said that he took care of dozens of Priangan sheep along with his family. Some of his relatives do it as a side job while others choose to do it full-time.
Kamaludin’s brother-in-law Amin Suherman, 39, is in the latter category. He joined the family business four years ago. Previously, he sold salted fish at Leles Market.
Amin started breeding Priangan sheep by buying a dam with money he borrowed from the family. In just four years, he grew his livestock population to eight sheep and paid back his loan. “If we are serious about this, this job is more promising,” he said.
The pride in raising Priangan sheep was also related by another Leles-based breeder, Irwan Setyawan, 40. “This is part of Garut’s identity. We do not want this local tradition to die here and strive in other regions instead. If that happens, Garut may lose its identity,” he said.
Irwan also inherited the sheep-breeding business from his parents. His family has been in the business for 60 years. He said that he hoped many more young people in Garut would join the sheep-breeding business.
“I believe that this is sacred work. If the younger generation becomes too proud to breed sheep, the Priangan sheep will disappear from its place of origin,” he said.
Hard work
Garut regent Rudy Gunawan said that the regency administration was committed to preserving the Priangan sheep, with Leles district serving as the center of breeding. “We are committed to develop the local species, as the locals possess the local wisdom of setting aside land for shepherding in villages,” he said.
West Java food security and farming agency chief Dody Firman Nugraha said that the annual livestock contest aimed to motivate local farmers to provide replacements for unproductive breeding stock. It is only through breeding that competitiveness will increase.
As the day grew late, the contest reached its end. The Priangan sheep were taken home to their pens. After receiving his prize money, trophies and certificates, Kamaludin left the Flamboyan Golf Course. His hard work and perseverance in taking care of his Priangan sheep has brought him great results. By winning competitions, the value of his sheep skyrockets.
Kamaludin and other breeders like him eagerly await livestock competitions. The events have boosted their spirit in preserving the local breeding tradition, as the events provide direct economic benefits.
The livestock competitions are a celebration for local breeders. They join the contest not to push each other down, but instead to motivate one another to produce quality local breeds. In the long run, the competitions will help sustain efforts to preserve the species and maintain the local natural diversity.
