Elaine Newman asked:
> if I understand this, you are not raising cattle - but taking them in (for
> how long?),  fattening them and slaughtering them - is that true? and if
> so, are there enough cattle around to maintain this? what is done with them
> now? what's the total land involvement for all life of the cattle.

We fatten cattle for around 100 days, to bring them to a slaughter weight of
350 kg at less than 2 years old. This is necessary to achieve adequate cut size
to meet consumer needs (steak size) while still maintaining high tenderness
and colour attributes. Cattle raising is a side-industry for Balinese farmers,
combined with other activities like growing corn, rice, vegetables, flowers,
cocoa or other crops, depending on the region of the island. There are over
500,000 cattle on the island.

> I am always concerned with health issues, the more so in the tropics where
> microbes flourish - how safe is this at each stage - and how stable - in
> the sense for instance if one puts an effort into raising komodo dragons,
> how much risk is there that the komodo dragons will become ill and die -
> not to speak of the cattle - and the alligators which readers seem to think
> would be a tourist attraction - as food! maybe

Any intensive animal industry has health risks as one is metabolically pushing
the animals and confining them in high population density. A balance between
commercial needs of the owners and the welfare needs of the livestock must be
achieved (and these are not mutually exclusive functions) , and good nutrition,
environmental control, vaccination and husbandry will contribute to high
production efficiency combined with low disease incidence.

> I hear you saying to me, these are not the right questions because we are
> considering that if we have an abattoir, how can we deal with the waste-
> and that's clearly right - still I can't help wondering, why raise cattle-
>  is this an improvement over raising ducks on the irrigation ditches?,

The reasons we raise cattle:

(1) It is a culturally very important activity for farmers, and of moderate
economic importance, so we have an instant network of collaborators at
village level as well as support from local government and universities.
(2) The demand for the product is high and the price per kg is attractive. It
is profitable and hence sustainable.

Best wishes,
--
Dr.Simon E.F. Appleby B.V.Sc., M.V.St.
Managing Director
Pacific Rim Livestock Services Pty Ltd,