SERDANG: The Veterinary Services Department (DVS) has developed a mobile application called MyFeed to calculate and plan a complete daily feed ration for livestock.
Its deputy director-general (development) Dr Suratan Kamarudin said the free app provided precise and effective guidance in determining the appropriate feed rations based on the necessary parameters.
“MyFeed helps farmers improve their livestock’s health, productivity and wellbeing by providing efficient, accurate and accessible information on livestock nutrition management.
“A healthy and appropriate diet is crucial to ensure the production of high-quality meat and milk,” he said after launching the app at the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism Exhibition (Maha) 2024 here yesterday, Bernama reported.
He added that the app could be used on various mobile devices, with or without Internet connection.
At the event, he also launched the Malaysian Livestock Breeding Strategic Plan, which outlines the government’s policy approach in planning the direction for national livestock breeding.
The plan also seeks to boost production efficiency, reduce dependence on livestock and livestock product imports, as well as ensure long-term food security.
Veterinary Research Division director Dr Rohana Abu Bakar said it took the DVS about six months to develop MyFeed, with a budget of less than RM50,000.
“It didn’t take long to develop the app because we’ve been using the same concept and formulas since 2007, previously through Microsoft Excel.
“But with the widespread use of smartphones, we’ve transitioned to a mobile app,” she said.
She said the DVS had started conducting technology transfer workshops for extension officers to guide farmers under their supervision on using MyFeed.
“In conjunction with Maha, we want to encourage more farmers to use MyFeed. In fact, many of them have already shown interest and some have started using the app,” she added.
She expressed hope that the app would help farmers meet their livestock’s nutritional needs, which would in turn boost their overall production.
“The app is designed to estimate a daily weight gain of 500g for cattle, enabling farmers to calculate the exact nutritional requirements for greater meat and milk yields,” she added.
Themed “Harvesting Tomorrow Where Dreams Blossom”, Maha 2024 started on Wednesday at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang.
The event, which is expected to attract three million visitors, will end on Sept 22.
