Analysis of Socio-Economic Factor to Youth Business Interest in Beef Cattle Farming in Southeast Minahasa Regency, Indonesia

The research aims to analyze some socio-economic factors influencing young interest in cattle farming that can encourage their interest in farming cattle, while increasing cattle productivity and developing the beef cattle industry in the Southeast Minahasa Regency area. In detail, this research was performed in Southeast Minahasa Regency and site samples were purposively selected, where Belang District and East Tombatu District had the largest beef cattle populations, such as 888 and 678 cattle, respectively. Of 106 youth, 37 youth farming cattle and 69 youth not farming as well as aged 16-30 years were randomly selected as a sample of respondents from 265 youth faming cattle and not farming cattle using the formulation from Slovin. Data analysis used a multiple linear regression model, where variable of youth interest in beef cattle farming and the influencing variables were measured using a one to three-tiered Likert scale. The results of the research display that youth interest in farming beef cattle in Southeast Minahasa Regency, Indonesia was influenced by socio-economic factors, such as perceptions of income, communal environment, social status, and agricultural land availability for feed. Meanwhile, familial environment factor did not have a significant impact on youth interest in beef cattle farming. Therefore, these factors required consideration by policy makers in the research site so that youth conducting cattle farming gained knowledge related to profitable methods to farm beef cattle with minimal costs, while youth having not farmed cattle were assisted with beef cattle seeds to start their business and it is followed by facilitation to prevent cattle misuse by young farmers.