Scarcity of Fodder is the key Factor low Productivity of Dairy Animals
Dr. Ajay Kumar, Dr. Mamta, Dr. Rajneesh Sirohi, Dr. Chandan Kumar
College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura
Introduction
Dairy animal production in the last few decades witnessed tremendous growth through the world. The remarkable success of dairy animal production can be attributed to the constant efforts of researcher, planner as well as producer. The dairy animal considered as biological machine producing milk. The input given in the form of feed care and management and output is the milk. The profit can maximized by minimized the cost of input and maximizing the output. The cost of feed and good dairy animal as well as milk prices depends on the external factors, but the volume of milk production largely on the feed and fodder. Nutrition is one of the most important factors in milk secretion of dairy animal. Feed is the largest input in to commercial milk production and roughly account for 50-70 % of the total production cost depending dairy animal farm practices. There is an acute scarcity of feed and fodder in lean period. In terms of supply, the deficiency percentage is highest in concentrate at 44%, followed by 36.50 % in green fodder and 10.50 % in dry roughages. India is struggling to feed its 302.79 million bovine populations and climate change is exacerbating the crisis. The feed resources available from existing agricultural practices meet roughly 40 per cent of the dairy industry requirement of green and dry fodder. Increase in livestock and human population and decrease in land under cultivation has resulted in acute shortage of feeds and fodder for livestock which further increases due to natural calamities like droughts and flood. The animals in India are mainly being reared by small and marginal farmers, most of them live in a negative energy / underfed condition, as such they do not produce up to their genetic potential rather and they slip into reproductive disorders, which add to the cost for farm business. Due to the under-fed condition, the animals become susceptible to mastitis, Brucellosis, many viral-bacterial and mineral deficiency diseases.
Reason for low productivity of dairy animals
- Inadequate availability of green fodder
- Total area under cultivated fodder is only 5.23 %, which is static.
- The gap is demand and supply is rising due to consistent growth of livestock population at the rate of 1.23% in the coming year.
- The fodder production in country is not sufficient to meet the requirement for growing livestock population and also forage offered to animal are mortally poor quality.
- Poor genetic makeup along with pest and disease assault.
Quality feed and fodder for enhanced productivity of livestock
- For full exploitation of milk production of dairy animals, it is imperative that nutritious lush green fodder is too made available at the rate of about 40-50 kg per adult animal per day throughout the year.
- So to feed this livestock population we have to design some innovative strategies, so that produced agriculture could effectively be utilized for livestock feeding.
- Under such situation various fodder crop can be used effectively used as fodder in the form of green fodder, dry fodder and preserved as silage provide feed round the year.
- In most of farming situation feeding of concentrate or compound feed with increased the cost of feeding, which is turns raised cost of production.
- Almost all essential nutrients can be met out from the green fodder.
- Digestive problem of dairy animal can be minimized by feeding of green fodder.
- Feeding of green fodder (legume, on-legume and tree leaves) always economical.
Advantages of green fodder feeding
- High milk production and better fat content.
- Increased longevity of dairy animals.
- Lower rumen pH
- Earlier sexual maturity and higher conception rate
- Faster body weight gain and easier weaning
- Reduced occurrence of acidosis and mastitis
- Increased digestibility
Reason for low productivity of fodder crop
- Increased human population
Lack of feed and forage for cattle is one of the main obstacles to dairy production in India, especially in rural, resource-poor areas. Furthermore, there is less space available for additional forage cultivation or feed production to support cattle due to increased pressure from the growing human population on land used for the production of human food crops. These problems, along with an increase in the demand for dairy products brought on by urbanization and population expansion, have made research into more effective ways to use crop wastes and improved diets for ruminants in India to boost milk output necessary.
- Huge number of livestock population
The majority of small and marginal farmers in India raise the animals, which typically live in low-energy or underfed conditions. As a result, the animals do not produce to their full genetic potential and instead have reproductive diseases, which raise the costs associated with running a farm. India’s livestock population expanded from 512.06 million in 2012 to 536.76 million in 2019, representing a 4.6% increase over the last census. This increasing livestock population puts further pressure on limited land resources for green fodder supply. Maintaining such a large herd of animals with their optimum productivity realization is a major challenge.
- Non-availability of improved variety of seed
There are no rolling plans for the production of fodder seeds under the categories of seed production, procurement, and distribution to farmers for fodder growing, despite the fact that high-quality, certified seeds are necessary to attain good forage yield per acre. The timely provision of high-quality fodder seeds is a significant constraint. At the NSC and SSC levels, as well as in the majority of states, there is no institutional framework or seed chain from breeder to certified seeds.
- Shrinkage of land
The shrinking cultivable land may not pose an instant problem for the nation’s food security but its long-standing effect could be devastating with the country needing more and more food grains to support its growing population. The obvious factors behind it are the mass migration due to poverty and rapid urbanization. Data from the agriculture ministry shows that as many as 20 states reported decrease in cultivable land to the extent of 790,000 hectares in four years from 2007-08 to 2010-11. Since 1995-96, the average size land holding has decreased from 1.41 hectares to 1.15 hectares which accounts for the decrease of 30,000 hectares of cultivable land each year.
- Lack of knowledge among farmer about fodder production technology
To improve the productivity of various agricultural crops, the Government is promoting adoption of modern technologies and practices like multiple cropping; intercropping integrated farming systems, sowing techniques, nutrient management, mixed cropping, weed management and crop rotation etc.
- Climatic change
Change in the climate over a long period of time due to natural processes and anthropogenic activities is termed as climate change. Due to impacts of climate change on agriculture, the majority of the people primarily involved in agriculture can be most severely affected. Livestock constitute an important part of the farming system. With the livestock sector in focus, the impacts of climate change are much more evident. There are various impact of climate on animals like reduced feed availability, feed intake, lower feed conversion efficiency, decreased productivity, changes in breeding pattern, increased heat stress, increased incidence of diseases. During hot and humid climate, it favors the growth of microbes. Among the most prevalent diseases mastitis and reproductive disorders were the major health problems. Abortion due to brucellosis and other infections are common.
- Grassland/pasture shrinkage
Pasture is the cheapest source of feed for animal. In the natural pasture practically no cost of growing, cutting, transporting or storing of fodder is required. The grazing pattern has created manifold problems in these pastures. This has led to a decline in biomass availability. Excessive and continuous grazing has severely damaged the pasture.
Quality of good crops
- It should be quick growing, early maturing and short duration, profuse foliage and heavy yield of fodders, shorter life cycle so that it can fit in different cropping systems.
- It should give maximum number of cutting, when grown under irrigation condition and need little tillage operation.
- Resistance to diseases, pests and safe to feed at all stages of its growth without any deleterious effect on animal health and growth. It should have more number of leaves (rich source protein and mineral) i.e., high leaf stems ratio and less shattering of leaves.
- It should have high regeneration (ratooning) capacity and free from weeds, photo insensitive and capable of preserving.
- It should adaptable to various agro-climatic conditions and different soils, tolerate shade, drought resistant so best suited for agriculture, silvipastoral conditions.
Different measure to improve fodder production
- Optimum utilization of land resources
- Improving production by using high yielding fodder crops
- Enhanced fodder seed production (fodder bank)
- Adopting suitable crop rotation practices
- Development wasteland and other community lands.
- Follow recommended agronomical practices of cultivation
- Sowing of legume as an intercrop or mixed crop with a non legume crop to enhance the nutritional value of fodder and improve soil fertility.
- Plant perennial grasses like hybrid-Napier / Guinea grass in about 15 to 20 per cent of the cultivated area to get green fodder round the year
- Plant fodder trees like subabul and agathi 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 conservation to ensure supply of green fodder during scarcity period and avoid wastage of surplus green fodder.
- Use chaff-cutter to minimize wastage of fodder.
CONCLUSIONS
The importance of dairy farming increases through the world in last few decades. Dairy farming has becomes a commercial enterprises. The genetic potential of the animal largely depending upon on the feed and fodder provide to it. Feed cost major expenses of the dairy farm contributing about 60-70% of the total cost of dairy rearing. Thus, judicious use of suitable feed stuff is necessary to provide sufficient nutrition to animal with minimum expenditure. There is an acute scarcity of feed and fodder in lean period. In terms of supply, the deficiency percentage is highest in concentrate at 44%, followed by 36.50 % in green fodder and 10.50 % in dry roughages. The productivity level of the animals in the state is very low. Being hot and humid climate, it favors the growth of microbes. Among the most prevalent diseases mastitis and reproductive disorders were the major health problems.
