Cyber Extension Usage to Improve Breeders’ Knowledge in Utilizing the Rice Straw Waste as Beef Cattle Feed

Laboratory of Animal Husbandry Extension and Sociology, Faculty of Animal Husbandry, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: agustina.abdullah@unhas.ac.id

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine the use of cyber extension in increasing breeders' knowledge of using rice straw waste as feed for beef cattle. The respondents were selected purposively medium livestock breeders in Barru Regency, South Sulawesi. The data was collected using surveys (in the form of questionnaires), focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews with several key informants. The results showed that 80% of respondents need cyber extension media to obtain information about rice straw waste as beef cattle feed. In general, the respondents only get sources of information through the limited extension workers because they have to cover a large working area. Sometimes the material provided does not meet the needs of breeders, so the respondent's knowledge is still in the medium category and eventually increased after being supplied with cyber extension media. This is because the respondents were enthusiastic about knowing about cyber extension media to look for relevant information. Therefore, optimizing the use of rice straw waste as beef cattle feed through cyber extension media is very necessary at the community livestock level.