Green fodder production throughout the year
Green fodder production throughout year does not means only to produce or cultivate high yielding
fodder variety but also maintain balance between these things like succulent fodder & dry fodder,
Protein rich & energy rich quality fodder, Dry & concentrate, Fresh fodder & silage as well as manage
all things given above with superiority. Many times, if area under fodder is assumed for fodder
production then things happen like sometimes there may be low fodder yield (causes scarcity of
fodder) or high fodder yield (Causes wastage of green fodder).To avoid circumstances of fodder
scarcity or low yield or wastage of fodder, following things have great concern-
1) Planning of fodder with concern to high yield than assumption.
2) To avoid scarcity of fodder, plan for storage of fodder in emergent situation like staorage of
dry fodder & making silage of green fodder.
3) It is fact that there may be ups & downs in fodder production in rain fed system.
REQUIREMENT OF FODDER FOR ADULT ANIMAL (CATTLE OR BUFFALO):-
An Adult animal requires minimum 10% of green fodder of its body weight.Eg.-Animal weighing 400
kg requires 40 kg green fodder (10% of body weight).Here balancing of green fodder has importance
like ,as a thumb rule, out of 40 kg green fodder –
- 2/3 means 30 kg should be Monocotyledons fodder &
- 1/3 means 10 kg should be Dicotyledons fodder
ï‚· Monocotyledons fodder :-Fodder Maize, Fodder Jowar, Fodder Bajara,Oat,Hybrid napier,Gunea
grass,Para grass,Rhodes grass,Anjan Grass etc.
Monocotyledons fodder is rich in energy than protein & is used for supplying energy & stomach
filling.
ï‚· Dicotyledons fodder:- Lucerne,Berseem ,Cow pea,Guar,Stylo,Subabaul,Dashrath etc.
Dicotyledons fodder is rich in protein than energy & is used for supplying body building proteins &
milk production.
ï‚· Sole Monocotyledons fodder or Dicotyledons fodder feeding causes imbalance so feeding of
fodder through above thumb rule is very necessary.
Monocotyledons fodder or Dicotyledons fodder are also differentiated based on their duration or
growth as –
Perennial fodder- Fodder crop survives for more than a year like:
ï‚· Perennial Monocotyledons fodder:-Hybrid napier,Gunea grass,Para grass,Rhodes grass,Anjan
Grass etc.
ï‚· Perennial Dic
For planning fodder production throughout the year, both kind of fodder crops as
Seasonal/Perennial & Monocotyledons/ Dicotyledons are very essential.
As calculated above, 400 kg weighed adult animal requires 40 kg green fodder daily for
consumption, so for a year requirement for one animal is= 365 × 40 = 14600 kg or 14.6 MT = 15 MT
From one acre (40R), per year 45 to 50 MT fodder will be produced, so 3 adult animals will be
managed form 1 acre of green fodder produced. For planning of balanced (Monocotyledons &
Dicotyledons fodder) throughout the year (If watering facility throughout the year is available),
following planning is required-
A. On 10 R area, sowing of Lucerne (Variety-RL 88), yields 10-12.5 MT green dicotyledons
fodder supplied to 3 adult animals @ 10 kg per day for a year.
B. On 10 R area, sowing of Hybrid Napier (Variety – RBN-13/Baif-10), yields 10-12.5 MT green
monocotyledons fodder supplied to 3 adult animals @ 10 kg per day for a year. Also it is
recommended to do intercropping of Berseem fodder crop in winter season in Hybrid Napier
fodder crop.
C. On remaining 20 R area, sowing of Fodder Sorghum (Variety – Sweet Sorghum/MP chari),
yields 7-8 MT green monocotyledons fodder in Kharif season, sowing of Fodder Maize
(Variety – African tall), yields 10-12MT green monocotyledons fodder in Rabi season & sowing of Fodder Sorghum (Variety – Sweet Sorghum/MP chari), yields 7 MT green
monocotyledons fodder in Summer season supplied to 3 adult animals @ 25 kg per day for a
year (Per day 75 kg for 3 adult animals for a 365 days requires 27.5 MT). From this model,
One adult animal (400 kg) will receive 10 kg Lucerne,10 kg Hybrid Napier & 25 kg Green
Maize/Sorghum means 10+10+25= 45 kg green fodder throughout the year.
D. Lucerne fodder crop yield /year = 10-12.5 MT
Hybrid Napier fodder crop yield/year = 10-12.5 MT
Kharif green fodder sorghum yield/year = 6 MT
Rabi green fodder maize yield/year = 10 MT
Summer green fodder sorghum yield/year =7 MT
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TOTAL = 43 to 50 MT
This means, from one year fodder production, three adult animals can sufficiently be fed for
a year .After three years, fodder area of Hybrid Napier & Lucerne can be interchanged. It will
have good effect on new crop of hybrid Napier from stored nitrogen of previous Lucerne
crop.
B. On 10 R area, sowing of Hybrid Napier (Variety – RBN-13/Baif-10), yields 10-12.5 MT green
monocotyledons fodder for a year. Also it is recommended to do intercropping of Berseem
fodder crop in winter season in Hybrid Napier fodder crop.
C. On remaining 20 R area, sowing of Fodder Sorghum (Variety – Sweet Sorghum/MP chari),
yields 8 MT green monocotyledons fodder in Kharif season, sowing of Maldandi Jowar
(Variety – Maldandi), yields 2200 kg Kadbi & 550 kg sorghum grains in Rabi season &
sowing of Fodder Bajara (Variety – Giant bajara), yields 5 MT green monocotyledons fodder
in Summer season .
D. Hybrid Napier fodder crop yield/year = 12 MT
Kharif green fodder sorghum yield/year = 6 MT
Summer green fodder Bajara yield/year =5 MT
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TOTAL = 23 MT
Lucerne fodder crop yield /year = 11 MT
Rabi mladandi Jowar yield/year (Kadbi) = 2200 kg
Rabi maldandi Jowar yield/year (Grain) = 550 kg
To use this fodder-
1.From 23 tons green fodder ,for 3 animals for 365 days, per animal daily supply @ 21 kg per
animal= (3 animals × 365 days × 21 kg = 23000 kg)
2. For 3 animals 11 tons of Lucerne, for 365 days @ 10 kg per animal = (3 × 365 × 10 = 11000
kg)
3. Kadbi -2200 kg for 365 days @ 2 kg per animal/day = (3×365×2= 2200 kg)
4. Jowar grain 550 (crushed)-for 3 animals for 365 days @ ½ kg = (3×365×1/2= 550)
Means from above planning-
1. Monocotyledons green fodder - 21 kg
2. Dicotyledons green fodder - 10 kg
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Total - 31 kg
3. Kadbi - 2 kg (Dry fodder)
4. Crushed jowar Grains -1/2 kg (Concentrate ingradient)
a) In Kharif season-
On 20 R area, sowing of fodder maize (Variety-African Tall), yields 10 MT green
monocotyledons fodder.
On remaining 20 R area, sowing of Cow pea (Variety – Sweta, EC-4216,UPC-4286) yields 4 MT
green dicotyledons fodder.
b) In Rabi Season-
On 20 R areas, sowing of fodder Oat (Variety-Kent), yields 10 MT green monocotyledons
fodder (2 cuttings).
On remaining 20 R area, sowing of Berseem (Variety – Wardan-4,Mescavi) yields 20 MT
green dicotyledons fodder.
c) In Summer Season-
On 20 R area, sowing of fodder Cowpea (Variety- Sweta, EC-4216,UPC-4286), yields 4 MT green
monocotyledons fodder (2 cuttings).
On remaining 20 R area, sowing of fodder Sorghum (Variety – sweet Sorghum) yields 8 MT
green dicotyledons fodder.
d) Kharif season-
1. Maize fodder (105 days) - 10 tons
2. Cowpea (105) -4 tons
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Total= 14 tons
Rabi season-
1. Oat fodder (150 days) - 10 ton –Two cuttings
2. Berseem (150 days) - 20 ton – 4 cuttings
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Total= 30 tons
From this 22.5 tons green fodder is used as fodder purpose & 7.5 tons fodder is used for
making dry fodder (Oat + Berseem).
Summer season-
1. Sorghum green fodder (105 days) - 8 tons
2. Cowpea (105 days) - 4 tons
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Total= 12 tons
To use this fodder-
1) 3750 kg green Berseem fodder should be dried as dry fodder.
2) 3750 kg green Oat fodder should be dried as dry fodder.
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Total- 7500 kg fodder
By drying these fodders, we will get 750 kg dry Oat & 750 kg dry Berseem, in which if
loss of hay is concern, we will get 1250 kg dry fodder from both crop. This kind of fodder
is used for three adult animals for 365 days is as follows:-
In Kharif season-
44 kg green fodder (for adult animals/day)×3 animals ×105 days = 14 MT
In rabi season
50 kg green fodder/day/animal × 3 animals × 150 days = 22.5 MT
In summer season
38 kg green fodder × 3 animals ×105 days =12 MT
Also we can make dry fodder of Berseem & oat by drying both fodder in winter season
to become 1250 kg dry fodder & use it in summer season as-
4 kg dry fodder/animal /day×3 animals×105 days = 1.250 MT , means for each animals-
In Kharif,green fodder (Monocot +Dicot) is - 44 kg
In rabi,Green fodder (Monocot +Dicot) is -50 kg
In Summer,green fodder (Monocot +Dicot) is -38kg
Additional ,dry fodder in summer (Monocot +Dicot) is -4 kg
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Total (daily) - 42 kg
So this kind of cultivation of fodder crops may be useful in all three seasons of year.
Ref- Adhik dudhasathi hirwa Chara,BAIF,Publication,April-2004
ALFALFA Grass - Animals / पशॠ- aAQUA