Socio-economic performance in the utilisation of crop residue as cattle feed: A study in northern and east coast regions of Peninsular Malaysia

The livestock industry, particularly cattle farming, plays a critical role in Malaysia’s agricultural sector. However, cattle farmers face numerous challenges, including rising production costs, limited access to quality feed, and volatile market prices. This cross-sectional study examines the financial performance of cattle farmers who adopt crop residue as feed in Kedah and Kelantan which the two states with the highest cattle farmer populations in the northern and east-coast regions of Peninsular Malaysia. A total of 219 cattle farmers were selected using a simple random sampling method. Data were collected through structured, face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire. Profitability was estimated based on self-reported data, where profit was calculated as the difference between total revenue and total cost. Total revenue was derived by multiplying the number of cattle by the mean selling price, which was used to standardise revenue estimation. Findings show that the average profit earned by farmers in Kedah was Ringgit Malaysia (RM) 36,712.38, while in Kelantan it was RM 28,556.42. The significant disparity in profits between the two regions may be attributed to varying farming practices and differing objectives among cattle farmers. These insights can inform future cattle farmers and agricultural stakeholders in developing strategies to enhance the sustainability and profitability of cattle farming in Malaysia, particularly in regions with high agricultural potential.