IMPLEMENTASI MESIN PENCACAH RUMPUT GAJAH UNTUK MENDUKUNG PENGELOLAAN PAKAN TERNAK DAN PENGURANGAN LIMBAH HIJAUAN DI KOTA PAREPARE

Abstract

This community service program aims to design and implement an elephant grass chopper machine as an appropriate technology to support livestock feed management and reduce green waste in Parepare City. The main problems faced by local farmers include the manual grass chopping process, which requires significant time and labor while producing uneven cuts that lower feed efficiency and livestock productivity. The program was conducted through several stages, including socialization, needs assessment, machine design, prototype fabrication, field testing, and training for farmers. The implementation results indicate that the developed machine can process 6–7 kg of elephant grass per minute, significantly improving efficiency compared to the manual method. The resulting grass cuts are more uniform, enhancing feed digestibility and increasing livestock feed intake. Furthermore, the machine effectively reduces the accumulation of green waste that often causes environmental pollution. Through training and technical assistance, farmers are now able to operate and maintain the machine independently. Overall, the adoption of this technology has had a positive impact on feed production efficiency, reduced operational costs, improved livestock productivity, and contributed to environmental sustainability in Parepare City.