When the family dairy business run for generations finally fell into his hands, Rifqi Maulana was determined to develop the dairy cow breeding further amid the capital’s towering buildings.
By
AGNES RITA SULISTYAWATY
·5 minutes read
KOMPAS/AGNES RITA SULISTYAWATY
Rifqi Maulana
Cows have long been part of the life of Rifqi Maulana, 33. Since childhood, their moos have been all too familiar to him. When the family dairy business run for generations finally fell into his hands, he was determined to develop the dairy cow breeding further amid the capital’s towering buildings.
The terrace of the house on Jl. Mampang Prapatan XV No. 2 appeared to be busy on June 16. Two workers were sieving milk that had just been drawn off. With agility, they were packaging the milk into plastic containers of 1 or 2 liters. With buyers coming and going during the filling process, the milk cartons were sold out within an hour.
The milk comes from 42 dairy cows in the family barn’s cowshed right behind the house. There are six other dairy cows in the family barn in Duren Tiga, Jakarta, and 30 more in Depok. The barns are managed by Rifqi and his older brothers. They belong to the third generation of dairy cow breeders operating in the area.
“Formerly, Betawi people [local Jakartans] here had dairy cow breeding businesses. There were around 20 families. But today only four families are still engaged in cow breeding, including us,” said Rifqi.
Some of the breeders have chosen to convert their barns into more “urban” businesses such as houses for lease. While demanding quite hard physical labor, the risk of cow breeding is comparatively high. If just one cow dies, the loss can be Rp 40 million or more.
You owe your studies to the cows. It’s these cows that have paid for your studies.
Despite the challenge, Rifqi has opted to carry on the business initiated by his grandfather. “Our economic resources come from these cows. My parents have said, ‘You owe your studies to the cows. It’s these cows that have paid for your studies,’” said Rifqi about the business, provides livelihoods for 13 workers.
KOMPAS/RIAN SEPTIANDI
Rifqi Maulana
Keeping up with the times
Some of the methods have remained the same, such as manual milking. However, now the aspect of cleanliness receives due attention. The changing times also make some difference in cow treatment. “In the past, when a cow got sick, we took it to a neighbor’s vacant plot behind the shed. There, the cow was exposed to the sun to recover. Now a house has been built on the plot. If any cow is ailing, I promptly consult the office [of Food Resilience, Marine and Agriculture Affairs of Jakarta] and a veterinarian will come right away to examine,” he said.
He acknowledged the difficulty of cow breeding, let alone doing it in the urban hub of Jakarta with very limited land.
He is not only striving hard to prevent his cows from being infected but also trying to keep the cattle from getting stressed. Living in the city, with its generally hot weather, already causes a decline in urban cow milk production, let alone living under stress.
Besides, he has to pay serious attention to environmental cleanliness as the cows are raised amid dense settlements. To this end, Rifqi has been trained in the cultivation of maggots that can help decompose the solid excrement of his cattle.
Apart from dairy cow breeding, Rifqi also continues a tofu production business handed down by his father. There are 34 tofu makers and traders in his enterprise. Around 90 workers are engaged in the business.
The tofu has a connection with the dairy cows. The tofu residue serves as cow feed, as a supplement to Napier grass. In his lifetime, H Mardani – Rifqi’s father – collected tofu residue from makers and sold it to cow breeders. Later, his father opened the tofu production business.
The tofu making and cow breeding symbiosis has been furthered by Rifqi. He produces cow feed in the form of residue. The grass, as the other feed, is bought from grass sellers. “There used to be a grass field in Pancoran. Now it’s a long way to find grass. I’m not prepared to do it anymore, so I buy it from grass sellers who usually supply South Jakarta.”
KOMPAS/RIAN SEPTIANDI
Rifqi Maulana
While running the inherited business, Rifqi has also benefited from the cow slaughtering business, especially tailored to sacrificial needs, since 2005. Over the last few years. Rifqi’s cows have been chosen for sacrificial offerings by national leaders, including President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Idul Adha (Day of Sacrifice) in 2020.
Along with his brothers, Rifqi has also developed a cow stock raising business in Depok. While increasing income, they can also secure quality dairy cow parent stocks. The slaughter cow and stock raising ventures have become a kind of savings and bonus for Rifqi and his family. The dairy cow business remains their source of daily income. They sell 600 liters of milk daily on average.
“The actual demand is far above our production capacity. It’s even higher on weekends, reaching hundreds of liters that we can’t fulfill,” he said.
The view on Rifqi’s front terrace confirmed the high demand. Part of the milk is bought by restaurants, and the other part taken by milkmen who have regular customers, leaving a small portion of milk cartons to be bought by Rifqi’s neighbors.
With sufficient income from dairy cows, Rifqi claims he has never thought of ending the family business and turning to an office profession common among urban dwellers. He will continue to be immersed in the world of dairy cow breeding.
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