Bali cattle

Did You Know?

• Domestic banteng are highly resistant to most diseases but susceptible to malignant catarrhal and Jembrana disease, first described in 1964.
• Semen for artificial insemination has been produced and distributed by the Artificial Insemination Centre of the Bali Province since 2001.

History and range

Domestication of Bali cattle from banteng occurred around 3500 BC. They have been introduced as livestock to East Timor, Java, Malaysia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Australia. In Indonesia, they account for about one fourth of the total cattle population, and up to four-fifths on eastern islands. In Australia's Northern Territory, escaped herds roam and damage crops.

Characteristics

Bali cattle have a hump, white rump patch, white stockings, and white under the belly. Females are reddish-yellow; males are reddish brown, darkening with maturity. Compared to banteng, they are smaller, with less obvious sexual dimorphism, smaller horns, and less developed withers. They are noted for thriving on low-quality fodder and high fertility.

Husbandry

Their timid, deer-like temperament suits them for plowing rice paddies, but their hooves are too soft for pulling cargo on paved roads. Mechanization and urbanization are reducing their use as draft animals. Meat from young animals is exceptionally tender. Problems include small birth and weaning weights, high calf mortality, slow growth, and low milk production. Artificial insemination has been used since the 1970s and 1980s.

Conservation

The population has declined in most places due to consumption exceeding local supply. Calls to increase the population have been made, including by Ronny Rachman Noor of Bogor Agricultural Institute, who argued the government undervalues the cattle. The Indonesian government has recognized the need for new strategies to improve low productivity and address husbandry and nutrition concerns, but adoption has been historically slow.