Effect of agro-ecological zone on the dairy cattle production system in East Java

This study aimed at describing the effect of ago-ecological zone (AEZ) on the dairy cattle production system, especially related to feed intake, milk poduction, and income over feed cost. Dairy cattle in East Java have been well developed in upland to lowland areas, and the owners of the animal husbandry are members of dairy cooperatives. The location of the dairy cooperatives can be clustered into 4 AEZ; namely old-age cooperatives in uplands (AEZ-I), old-age cooperatives in middle-lands (AEZ-II), old-age cooperatives in lowlands (AEZ-III) and young-age cooperatives in lowlands (AEZ-IV). The conclusion of this study indicates that: (1) Cooperatives in AEZ-I have good or established management and farmers in AEZ-IV have good human resource; (2) AEZ affects feed intake, milk production, and income over feed cost; and (3) the highest income over feed costs is in AEZ-I, but it is not different with the income over feed cost in AEZ-IV, each of which is Rp 21,003 h/d and Rp 20,234 h/d.