Dr. agr. Ir. Asep Anang, M.Phil: Pasundan Cow, Sentul Chicken, and Rambon Duck Excels as Exclusive Commodity

[Unpad.ac.id, 23/05/2016] West Java possessed local livestock breeds with unique and different characteristics from those found in other regions. Of the many types, there are three types currently had potential to be developed, namely Pasundan Cow, Sentul Chicken, and Rambon Duck. These three types of livestock have been designated by West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan, on May 19, 2016, further development.

Dr. agr. Ir. Asep Anang, M.Phil (Foto oleh: Tedi Yusup)*
Dr. agr. Ir. Asep Anang, M.Phil (Photo by Tedi Yusup)*

Behind the uniqueness and potential, three types of livestock must be ready for competition. This is the focus of Faculty of Animal Husbandry (Fapet) Universitas Padjadjaran Dr.agr. Ir. Asep Anang, M.Phil., with other teams to conduct research of Pasundan Cown and in 2014 Pasundan cow has been regulated to be unique West Java cow based on Minister of Agriculture Decree No. 1051/Kpts/SR.120/10/2014.

For Pasundan cows, Dr. Asep collaborated his Fapet Unpad research with Department of Animal Husbandry West Java. The initial research consisted of mapping related Pasundan cow. This type of cow, said Dr. Asep, has different characteristics with either Europe or India cow. Structurally, Pasundan cow has similarities with bulls.

“We discovered after performing phenotypic and DNA testing that they were different with Europe or India. We also compared other local cows in Indonesia, such as Bali, Madura, and Brebes. We stated that this is a different cow, a domestification of bulls developed in West Java, “said Dr. Asep during this interview.

The existence of Pasundan cow was widely spread in some areas, especially in the southern coastal areas of West Java. This cow has not been done cross-breeding between local cow with Indian or European cow in the Dutch colonial period.

Dr. Asep said that Pasundan cow has various selling points from others having stronger endurance, not requiring a great feed, as well as easy maintenance. In addition, the volume of meat is far more than other types of cattle.

Viewed from its potential, Pasundan cow can be developed to reduce beef imports. However, this advantage apparently was unable to set Cow Pasundan to compete. Dr. Asep explained that Pasundan cow is smaller than European cows and becoming one of the difficulties of competing. Therefore, he hopes that Pasundan cows could be directed at specific market segments.

“Considering the quality of the meat, I hope the promotion goes smooth. There are specific market segments so that the cow could be like Wagyu cow in Japan,” said the lecturer was born in Bandung, 16 April 1963, the recipient of two years in a row scientific work best 1st field of exact sciences in 2001 and 2002, and faculty achievements to-1 level Padjadjaran University in 2002.

Meanwhile regarding research of Sentul chicken, Dr. Asep and the team managed to perform the purification of Ciamis typical chicken. Purification is based on near-extinction of Sentul chicken due to the many process of mating with other types of chicken.

Dr. Asep explained that Chicken Sentul has medium shape compared to other chickens, and so most of the mating process carried out by farmers to increase the weight of the chicken.

Sentul chicken has advantages when compared to other types of chicken. Just Cow Pasundan cow, Sentul chicken also possessed a strong durability, does not require a great feed, as well as easy maintenance. “Without good quality of feed, Sentul chicken already shows a good performance,” he added.

The purification process conducted by Dr. Asep and the team aimed to produce pure Sentul chicken in order to avoid extinction. “Until now, purification testing process of Sentul chicken is already 95%. We are already working closely with the Department of Animal Husbandry of West Java to restore Sentul chicken and increase the population, “said the graduate of faculty Doctoral Program at Martin Luther Universität Germany.

The purification process is not only done for Sentul chicken but also for Rambon ducks, native of West Java from Cirebon. The cross-breeding process with another duck would gradually made Rambon ducks extinct.

From the three studies conducted by Dr. Asep and his team, the government has agreed to join the stakeholders to develop three types of native livestock of West Java. Dr. Asep said that the development should no longer carried on academic research, but research based products.

“The products have already existed, we only to improve them to fit with what we want. Research will focus on improving product quality, “said Dr. Asep.

This lecturer who focused on the field of genetics said that there is a research interest related to Pasundan meet, Sentul chicken, and Rambon ducks that lead to organic products (healthy food). Pasundan cow for example, still have difficulty to compete with imported cow. There must be a specific market segment that makes Pasundan cows to be exclusive commodity.

In collaboration with stakeholders, the three original Jabar genetic resources can be introduced further. Hopefully, with the slogan “healthy food”, the public would be able to receive and are interested in taking them. On the other hand, this development would also increase self-sufficiency in meat and reduce imports of meat in West Java. *

Reported by Arief Maulana/ eh

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