Fodder production
Introduction
Fodder crops are cultivated plant species that are utilized as
livestock feed. Fodder refers mostly the crops which are harvested
and used for stall feeding.
On the other hand forages refer to the vegetative matter, fresh or
preserved, utilized as feed for animals and include all fodders such as
grasses, legumes, crucifers and other crops cultivated and used as hay
or silage in a preserved form or utilized through grazing.
WHY GREEN FODDER?
The feeding of green fodder (grass, legume or cereal fodder) is
always economical.
The feeding of concentrates or compounded feed may give high
output per unit of feed may not be economically viable always for the
countries like where grains, oilcakes and milling byproducts are scarce
and costly.
In most of the farming situations, feeding concentrates or
compounded feed will increase the cost of feeding which in turn raise
the cost of production.
On the other hand, an animal yielding on average of 5-6 liters of
milk per day can be comfortably maintained with feeding of green
fodder only (grass or cereal fodder and legumes) without any
supplementation of concentrates.
It is not economical for the farmer to have intensive dairy, sheep
or goat farm without sufficient provision for green fodder or dry
fodder throughout the year. If the land resource is scarce, a farmer
can have suitable agroforestry models to increase the forage
production per unit area.
HOW FODDERS ARE CLASSIFIED?
There are different types of classification available. However,
the following two classifications are more easy to understand and
adopt.
Classification of fodder on the basis of season of cultivation
Kharif fodder (June – September) : Eg . Cowpea, Field bean,
Bajra, Sorghum, Maize
Rabi fodder (October – Dec/Jan) : Eg. Berseem, Lucerne,
Oats, Barley etc.,
Summer fodders (April – June) : Eg. cowpea, Maize, Field
bean, Sorghum, Bajra etc.
Classification based on Plant family and duration of the crop
Legumes (Annual and Perennial) : Eg. Berseem, Cowpea,
Stylo, HedgeLucerne
Non – legumes (Annual and Perenial) : Eg. Hybrid Napier,
Guinea grass, Fodder maize, Fodder sorghum etc.
Legumes
Legumes are the most important component of animal fodder in
view of their high content of crude protein (20 – 25%) compared to
fodder cereals (8 – 12%) and fodder grasses (5 – 10%).
Non leguminous fodders (Cereal and grass) provided much of the
required energy (carbohydrates) for livestock while legumes improve
the quality of fodders when mixed with non-leguminous fodders.
Green fodders of non-legumes are fed in bulk quantities (about 10%
of body weight of the animal) whereas that of legumes are fed in small
quantities (1-2% of body weight).
If legumes are fed in bulk, it may create problems like bloat in
animals.
Non-legumes
Non legumes refer to all grasses belonging to the family of plants,
gramineae comprising 450 genera and more than 6000 species
distributed throughout the world.
Grasses considerably vary in their habits, size and habitat. Some
grasses are annuals, while others are perennials.
Another group of non-legumes is the Cereal fodders. They play an
important role in the feeding of dairy animals.
Farmers in general are not growing cereals exclusively for fodder
purpose. Rather they grow them mainly (straw / stover) is used as
cattle feed. But such straw/stover are very poor in their nutritive
value compared to their value as green fodder.
However there are varieties available in the cereal group
exclusively meant for fodder purpose and in such a case the crop
should not be allowed for grain setting.
WHICH FODDER CROP TO CHOOSE?
It is highly essential to select the right choice of crops to
cultivate.
This depends on the soil type, soil fertility status, agro climatic
conditions, water availability, kind and number of livestock reared
etc.
However, it is advisable to grow legume as an intercrop along
with grass or cereal fodder in order to make the fodder more
nutritious.
Given below is the list of forage crops that are recommended
for Tamil Nadu.
The other source for the livestock feed is the natural grazing
resources available in the Common Property Resources.(ie. Lake,
bunds, common grazing grounds, roadsides etc).
IMPROVED VARIETIES FOR FORAGE CROPS SUITABLE FOR
TAMIL NADU
S. No
Cereal Forages
1
2
3
Name of the crop
Special features
Sorghum CO FS - 29
Multicut variety (5-6 cuttings
per year) Suitable for irrigated
farming
Sorghum Co – 27 (60 – 65 days) Thin stem, ratoonability,
drought tolerant
Bajra Co – 8 (50 -55 days)
Soft stem, high leaf stem ratio,
highly palatable
Grasses
1
2
3
Hybrid napier Co - 1
Hybrid napier Co - 2
Hybrid napier Co - 3
High yield and Drought tolerant
High yield and Drought tolerant
High yield, High leaf stem ratio
and Highly palatable and low
oxalate content
4
5
Guinea grass (Co – 1 & C0 -2)
Shade tolerant and thin stem
Kollukattai (Blue Anjan) Co – 1 Highly suitable for rainfed and
Cenchrus glaucus
pasture lands, High bio mass
yield and drought tolerant
6
Deenanath
Thin Stem and highly palatable
Cont…
Legumes
1 Lucerne
2
3
Cowpea (60 – 65 days),
(Co – 5)
Desmanthus virgatus
(Hedge lucerne)
4
Stylo spp
5
Pudiya Soundal (Leucaena
diversifolia)
High yield and cuscuta resistant
( a parasitic weed)
Early maturity
Tropical legume, High yield and
palatability, Drought tolerant
Rain fed pasture legume and
drought tolerant
Highly suitable for rain fed
condition, Psyllid tolerant, High
yield
HOW TO CULTIVATE?
S.No
Name of Annual/ Seed rate
the crop Perennial
kg/ha
Cereal fodder
1
Fodder
Annual
Sorghum
(Sorghum
vulgare)
C0.F.S 29
Mulitcut
Spacing Basal FYM
(cm)
( ton /ha)
N.P.K
Days to
kg/ha
harvest
(Change as (days)
per soil
test)
50-60
30 x 10
12.5
30-40-20
60 to 65
12.5
30 x 10
25.0
30-40-20
2
Fodder
Annual
Maize (Zea
mays)
40-50
30 x 10
12.5
60-40-20
Every 65
days
65 to 70
3
Fodder
Annual
Bajra
(penniselt
um
americanu
m)
8-10
30 x 10
12.5
25-30-12
60 - 65
Cont…
S.No
Name of Annual/ Seed rate Spacing Basal FYM
the crop Perennial kg/ha
(cm)
( ton /ha)
Grass Fodder
4
Napier Bajra
Perennial
hybrid (Co-1,
Co-2, Co-3)
Napier X Bajra
5
Guinea grass
(Hamil or
Makuni)
(Panicum
maximum)
Perennial
N.P.K
Days to
kg/ha
harvest
(Change
(days)
as per soil
test)
40000
nos.
50 X 50
25
50-50-40 First
harvest 75
days, then
once in 45
days
40000
nos.
50 X 50
25
50-50-40 First
harvest 75
days, then
once in 45
days
Cont…
6
7
8
Para grass (
Perennial
Buffalo or
Water grass)
(Brachiaria
mutica)
Deenanath
Annual
grass
(Pennisetum
pedicellatum)
Kollukattai grass Perennial
(Buffel, Anjan,
Dhaman,
African Fox Tail
grass) (Cenchrus
ciliaris white
variety)
(Cenchrus
setigerus –
Black variety)
(Cenchrus
glaucus – Blue
buffel)
40000
nos.
50 X 50
10
20-25
30 x 10
8
50 X 30
40-50-40
120
10
First
harvest
75 days,
then once
in 45 days
40-50-40 60 - 65
10
25-40-20
40
First
harvest
70 days,
then once
in 50 days
40
Cont…
*Sown as continuous rows Leguminous fodder
9
Lucerne
Perenni 15 -20 20 cm*
25
(Alfalfa or al
Kudirai
masal)
(Medicago
sativa)
10
Berseem Perenni
(Egyptian al
clover)
(Trifolium
alexandrin
um)
25
20 cm*
25
25-120- First
40
harvest
60 days,
then
once in
30 days
80
25-100- First
30
harvest
60 days,
then
once in
30 days
60
Cont…
11
Hedge lucerne Perennial
(Velimasal)
(Desmanthus
virgatus
12 - 15
50 cm*
25
12
Cowpea
Annual
(Karamani or
Thattaipayaru)
(Vigna
unguiculata)
Sangu
Perennial
Pushpam
(Clitoria
ternaeta)
Muyal masal Perennial
(Stylosanthus
scabra)
(S.hamata)
Siratro
Perennial
(Macroptilum
atro
purpureaum)
20 - 25
30 x 15
15
13
14
15
25-10030
125
25
First
harvest
70 days,
then once
in 45 days
25-40-20 60 t0 65
45 x 10
25
20-40-12
75
25
10
30 x 15
25
20-60-12
75
35
8
30 x 15
25
20-40-12
75
30
30
Cont…
16
17
18
Centro
Perennial
(Centrosema
pubescens)
Calopogoniu Perennial
m
Dolichos lab Annual
lab (Avarai)
(Field bean)
19
Sun hemp
(Sanappai)
(Crotalaria
juntia)
Annual
20
Desmodium Perennial
tortuosum
(Aattu masal)
5
30 x 15
25
20-40-12
75
25
4
30 x 15
25
20-40-12
70
25
30
45 x 30
25
20-40-12
70
30
20
20 x 15
10
20-40-12
60
25
10
30 x 15
25
20-40-12
60
25
*Seeds are sown continuously so that the plant spacing within the row would be closer