By Rintos Mail
KUCHING: Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh knows a thing or two about livestock rearing, thanks to his decision to delve into hobby farming.
The politician has over the years learnt to divide his time between attending to his constituents and seeing to the needs of the many animals on his 15-acre land on which he has durian trees and fish ponds.
He plunged into hobby farming after doing some research, convinced that cattle, sheep, goats and deer would be fun additions to his land.
Also, the fact that Sarawak is heavily reliant on meet imports weighed heavily on his mind, giving him an added nudge to take up the challenge.
“My first task revolved around picking suitable livestock that can offer a different experience compared to more common livestock,” he said.
“When it comes to preferences for your farm, it is not just about buying some animals and hoping for the best.
“On my part I needed animals that are easy to raise, that can grow and multiply fast, and provide a good income.”
Miro recalled that starting a hobby farm with ruminants was a significant commitment that required careful planning and dedication.
But he was inspired, and through trial and error, dug his heels in, all the time thinking about Sarawak’s reliance on imported beef, lamb and mutton.
“The state imports almost 90 per cent of these meats to feed our population of only about three million,” he said.
“As we are too dependent on imported meat, there is really a need to look into this matter. That is why I started with my own farm to gain firsthand experience, hoping that others will follow,” he explained.
Miro started with the Dorper sheep breed, the Itawa goat breed and some deer.
Initially, he had eight deer, which he bought from a friend and within three years his deer had multiplied to 32 heads.
As for the Dorper, he is thankful the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS) gave him 15 heads to start with, and from that 15 heads he now has about 32 heads of sheep.
“Since I received the Dorper from DVS about two years ago I have been learning a lot on how to breed the animals,along with my workers,” he said.
Miro heads to his farm two or three times a week, usually during the weekends when he is free from official duties as an elected representative. The daily routine at his farm is carried out by his brother with he help of four workers.
Miro said although he had started the venture as a hobby, he is planning to go into industrial scale and at the same time turn his farm into a learning centre for local farmers.
He believes that ruminant farming has a huge potential to be turned into an industry, and with government support especially in terms of good breed provision, things can only get bigger.
“The government’s support is not just for me but for anyone who is interested to venture into ruminant farming,” he added.
In this context Miro encourages fellow Sarawakians to try ruminant farming so as to help achieve the state’s target of reaching self-sufficiency level in meat.
He, however, reminded that before they take up ruminant rearing, they must equip ourselves with the requisite knowledge, right down to the basics of feeding animals.
“As we all know, ruminants need grass as their basic food and you must know what kind of grass to grow and provide them.
“Three to four acres of land is good enough for you to plant grass, napier at least, to feed your animals.
“From one acre of land, you can get between 100 and 300kg of grass. So if you are talking about 50 to 100 heads of cattle, you can easily feed them with your own planted grass,” he said.
For beginners, Miro suggests they start small, as this will allow them to master the essentials of farming, gradually increasing their livestock as their confidence and knowledge grow.
He believes that two to three acres of flat land, including for planting grass, is good enough to get the venture up and running.
He said if one were to start with goats, for example, he could start with four or five heads – male and female – so as to learn the nuances of basic breeding.
“After few years, when you are good enough, you can expand your farm,” he said.
Miro said if managed well, goats, for instance, can multiply very fast and likewise deer which can get pregnant after four and a half months.
He said during the breeding process, a farmer must also dabble with feed varieties for the animals and learn their growth rate with each kind of feed.
“In my case, I have even formulated my own feed as extra food for my animals, and my latest formula really suits my animals.
“They grow very fast and they are very healthy. It works very well for my animals.
“So far we have no problem with feeding. My animals are all in good shape. Some of my male sheep and deer can weigh up to 90kg,” said Miro proudly, pointing out that success came after having tried seven to eight kinds of formulation.
He said for his goats he uses soya waste and rice bran, fermenting them with effective microorganisms 4(EM4) activated with molasses for three to four days.
“Then we mix it with dry grass. Let’s say, we harvest the grass today, we chop it, dry it for one day to reduce the water content, then we mix it with the formulated feed to be given to the animals. Our animals love to eat it,” he said.
As the agricultural landscape is ever-evolving, Miro said it is also important for ruminant farmers to stay informed.
He said every farmer should make it a priority to keep learning about new industry trends, technologies, and best practices in animal husbandry.
He believes that embracing continuous learning can keep farmers up-to-date with the latest advances and ensures their farm remains sustainable and competitive and brings good returns.
“Through thoughtful planning and dedication, you can set a good foundation for a hobby farm to grow into an industry farm. And the experience is both rewarding and enriching,” he said.
