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Introduction
In India, an estimated 50 million tonnes of concentrate feed ingredients are available annually
which yield about 10 million tonnes of crude protein (CP) and 32.5 million tonnes of total
digestible nutrients (TDN). In comparison, the annual production of green fodder is estimated
at nearly 500 million tonnes, yielding around 12 million tonnes of crude protein and 55 million
tonnes of total digestible nutrients. Thus, green fodder is a vital source of nutrients, especially
vitamins, for livestock.
Green fodder is primarily obtained through cultivation. Presently, 9.38* million hectares of
cultivated land is under fodder crops, with a meagre average annual yield of 40 tonnes/
hectare, which is low. In view of land constraints, efforts need to be put forth to: (i) enhance
fodder production from available land and (ii) increase availability of fodder by minimising
wastage.
Strategies to increase green fodder production and availability
• Use quality seeds of high yielding varieties/hybrids of fodder crops
• Follow recommended agronomical practices of cultivation
• Follow suitable crop rotation
• Select short duration fodder crops (sunflower/mustard/turnip) during the switch-over season
• Sow legume as an inter-crop or as a mixed crop with a non-legume crop to enhance the
nutritional value of fodder and improve soil fertility
• Plant perennial grasses like hybrid napier bajra/guinea grass in about 15 to 20 per cent of
the cultivated area to get green fodder round the year
• Plant fodder trees/shrubs on farm boundaries to get green fodder during the lean period
• Harvest fodder at the appropriate stage to get the maximum nutrients
• Adopt modern practices for hay and silage making to ensure supply of fodder during scarcity
and avoid wastage of surplus green fodder
• Use chaff-cutter to minimise wastage of fodder
Various fodder crops/grasses/trees
1.
Annual
Legumes
: Berseem, Lucerne, Cowpea, Guar, Rice bean,
Velvet bean
Cereals
: Sorghum, Oats, Maize, Millets, Barley
Miscellaneous
: Mustard (Chinese cabbage), Turnip, Fodder beet,
Soya bean, Sunflower
2.
Perennial
Grasses
: Hybrid napier bajra, Guinea grass, Para grass,
Congo signal grass
Range Grasses
: Nandi grass, Anjan grass, Blue panic grass, Marvel
grass, Rhodes grass
Pasture legumes
: Butterfly pea,
Stylo, Siratro
Shrubs & trees
: Hedge lucerne, Subabool, Siris, Khejari, Shevari,
Gliricidia
* Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture,
Government of India