Characteristics of small-scale dairy farms in Lembang, West-Java

The increasing demand for dairy products in Indonesia may offer possibilities for dairy farmers to increase milk production, and improve their incomes and livelihoods. This study showed dairy farms in Lembang district, West-Java, are mostly small-scale, zero-grazing dairy farms with high stocking densities per unit of land, and a milk production level and reproductive performance below potential. The scarcity and fragmentation of land are causing challenges of obtaining sufficient and good quality fodder and recycling of manure as a fertilizer. Results indicated there is room for improvement of feeding and manure management practices, which may not only contribute to improved farm productivity, but also to improved resource use efficiency and reduction of environmental impacts of dairy farming in Lembang district.