Evaluating the Impact of Indonesian Herbal Mixture on Recovery and Performance of Bali Cattle After Long-Distance Transportation

Abstract

Cattle traveling for an extended period on the road are often experience a decrease in body weight between 10 and 20%. This decrease causes significant losses for farmers, showing the importance of implementing treatment programs for recovery. To overcome the losses, a potential solution could be the use of an Indonesian Herbal Mixture (IHM) comprising various herbal ingredients such as galangal, java ginger, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, and bitter ginger. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the optimal level of IHM required to enhance and sustain the performance of 16 male Bali cattle after long-distance transportation with a total distance approaching 3,516 km, via livestock vessels and trucks. A randomized block design (4×4) was used, comprising four IHM treatment levels and four body weight groups as replicates. The average initial bodyweight was 239 kg (G1), 233.5 kg (G2), 231.7 kg (G3), and 237.6 kg (G4).The treatments were designated as follows T0 was Kumpai grass plus concentrate and tofu dreg, T1 was T0 plus 100 ml IHM, T2 was T0 plus 150ml IHM, and T3 was T0 plus 200 mL IHM. The experimental period lasted a total of 10 weeks, during which we observed several variables, including the ratio of Dry Matter Intake (DMI), protein consumption, Average Daily Gain (ADG), and feed efficiency. The findings indicated that the administration of IHM at a dosage of 200 mL led to a statistically significant improvement in DMI, protein consumption, ADG, and feed efficiency for 1-month duration. A strong positive correlation was observed between all variables, showing that IHM could function as a natural feed supplement, promoting the performance of cattle experiencing long-distance transportation stress.