3 / 4
Important fodder crops
Sorghum
(Sorghum bicolor)
: It is the most important cereal fodder crop grown in summer/
rainy season. Covering the maximum cultivated area among fodder crops, sorghum is grown
in all parts of the country except
the cool hilly areas. It has high tolerance to drought and
excessive rainfall. There are single, two and multi-cut varieties/hybrids of sorghum giving one
to six cuts per crop producing 50 to 100 tonnes/hectare of green fodder. To avoid prussic
acid or cyanide toxicity to livestock, the crop should be harvested at about 50 per cent
flowering or after irrigation at the pre-flowering stage. The crop is also useful for hay and
silage making.
Important varieties: PC-1, PC-6, PC-9, PC-23, HC-136, HC-171, PSC-1, Pant Chari-5, Pant Chari-6
and Sorghum sudan hybrid.
Berseem
(Trifolium alexandrinum)
: It is a legume crop of the winter season grown mainly in
Bihar, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It gives six to seven cuts
between November to May and produces 70 to 80 tonnes/hectare of extremely palatable and
nutritious green fodder containing about 20 per cent crude protein. Berseem fodder is known
as the ‘milk multiplier’. Being a leguminous crop it also fixes atmospheric nitrogen in the soil
and improves soil fertility.
Important varieties: JB-1, BL-1, BL-10, BL-42, UPB-110, Mescavi and Wardhan.
Lucerne
(Medicago sativa)
:
Known as the ‘queen of fodder’,
lucerne is the most popular fodder
crop in the country after berseem and sorghum. As a winter legume, lucerne is grown mainly
in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan. The crop can give seven to eight cuts
from November to June with an average green fodder yield of 60 to 80 tonnes/hectare. The
fodder contains about 20 per cent crude protein. The crop is appropriate for hay making. In
some areas, it is cultivated as a perennial crop.
Important varieties: T-9, A-2, A-3, RL-88, CO-1 and LLC-5.
Cowpea
(Vigna unguiculata)
: This legume crop is grown under both irrigated and rainfed
conditions. It is widely cultivated across the country excluding the temperate hilly areas. It has
great potential as a mixed crop when sown with maize, sorghum and millets to produce an
ideal ‘legume & cereal’ fodder mixture. It grows quickly and can yield 25 to 45 tonnes/hectare
of green fodder. It also finds use as green manure.
Important varieties: EC-4216, UPC-287, UPC-5286, GFC-1, GFC-2 and GFC-4.
Oats
(Avena sativa)
: It is a winter season cereal fodder crop, mainly cultivated in Bihar, Haryana,
Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. It has excellent growth and shows quick
regeneration capacity after cutting. The green fodder is succulent, rich in carbohydrates and
palatable. The yield ranges from 30 to 50 tonnes/hectare. The crop can also be used to prepare
hay and silage.
Important varieties: Kent, UPO-94, UPO-212, OS-6, OS-7, OL-9, JHO-822, JHO-851 and HFO-114.
Maize
(Zea mays)
: Maize is one of the best cereal fodder crops grown during summer, rainy
and/or early winter season. It produces rich and nutritious green fodder which is a good source
of carbohydrates. The green fodder is particularly suitable for silage making. The yield varies
from 30 to 40 tonnes/hectare.
Important varieties: African tall, JS-1006 and Vijay composite.