THE INTEGRATION OF BEEF CATTLE FARMING SYSTEM ON THE FARM HOUSEHOLD IN MERAPI VOLCANIC SLOPE, SLEMAN YOGYAKARTA (The Application of Linear Programming Analysis Model Toward Sustainable Livestock Development)

Abstract

The objective of the research was to investigate the optimum resources allocation of farm household to get maximum benefit. A survey was conducted using 50 respondents of beef cattle farmer taken by purposive quota sampling. The data
consisted of land and beef cattle ownership, family labor, capital, input output
coefficient of crop and beef cattle farming system, off farm opportunities, household
consumption pattern. The data were analyzed using linear programming model. The
result of the optimum solution showed that the activities with optimum use of resources were : (1) raising 2.67 animal unit of local breed, (2) cultivating 0.47 ha of land consisting of 0.25 hectare multiple cropping of Albusia sp. and hybrid grass, and 0.22 ha single cropping of cloves. The optimal allocation of the farm household resources could increase the farm income as much as 85 %. That increase was gained by selling heifer and steer on its optimum age; selling crop production in the optimum pattern; making use of by-product of cattle feed and manure for crop fertilizer; and using optimum family labor. The application of linear programming model could identify the interrelationships among many activities in farm household toward sustainable beef cattle farming system