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Crop rotation
Suitable rotation of crops not only enhances the productivity of land but also ensures availability
of green fodder round the year. An indicative list of some crop rotations is given below:
Sr.
No.
Crop rotations
Green fodder
production potential
(tonnes/hectare/year)
1. Hybrid napier bajra + Cowpea – Berseem + Mustard
285
2. Maize + Cowpea – Maize – Cowpea – Oats – Maize + Cowpea
165
3. Maize + Cowpea – Rice bean – Berseem + Mustard
110
4. Hybrid napier bajra + Guar – Lucerne
250
5. Sorghum + Cowpea – Maize + Cowpea – Maize + Cowpea
110
6. M.P chari – Cowpea – Berseem + Mustard – Sorghum + Cowpea
168
Silage
It is preserved fodder obtained from the anaerobic fermentation of green fodder. Cereal fodder
crops rich in carbohydrates make good silage. About 5 to 1000 tonnes of green fodder can be
preserved as silage in a surface silo.
To make silage: (i) harvest the crop at 30 to 35 per cent dry matter stage (ii) chop the crop
into small-sized pieces (2-3 centimetres) (iii) fill the chopped fodder into a silo (iv) press the
green fodder either manually or mechanically to create anaerobic condition (v) seal the silo with
a polythene sheet and cover with soil and (vi) leave it for a minimum 45 days to complete the
process of anaerobic fermentation. The silage is ready for feeding animals.
Cowpea
Sorghum
Chopping of fodder
Pressing of fodder in a silo
Sealing of silo
For more information, please contact: Dr M R Garg •
mrgarg@nddb.coop