CULTIVATION OF FODDER CROPS IN INDIA: KEY NOTES

Cultivation Of Fodders

Most of the dairy animals in India are reared on crop residues. Availability of cultivated fodder, dry fodder and concentrates is deficient by 36%, 40% and 44% respectively. It is therefore necessary to increase are a of cultivation under fodder crops. In rain fed crops MAIZE, SORGHUM, MILLET, STYLOHEMATA, SERATRO, ANJAN, COW-PEA, PAWNA, MARVEL. In the Rabi season oat, BURSEEM, LUCERN, MAIZE and again in summer, depending on type of soil SORGHUM, COW-PEA, MAIZE can be taken.

Calender for cultivation of fodder round the year can be chalked out as under.

Basic need – To provide fodder for ten cows giving ten liters of milk each.

Salient features of forage crops

The knowledge of salient features of forages would be useful in understanding the techniques of their management and tailoring the cultural and fertilizer schedules for increased forage production.

The important characterstics are:
(i) short growth period,
(ii) grown in closer spacing with high seed rate,
(iii) dense stand to smother weeds and prevent soil erosion,
(iv) improve soil health through addition of higher amounts of organic residues in the soil,
(v) crop duration can be adjusted and risk due to aberrant weather conditions minimized,
(vi) high persistency and regeneration capacity reduce the need for frequent sowing and tillage,

(vii) crop management differs with the purpose of growing forages and mode of their utilization,
(viii) wider adaptability with capacity to grow under stress conditions,
(ix) high nutrient and water requirement under intensive cropping,
(x) multicut nature with capacity to provide regular income and employment,
(xi) economic viability depends on secondary production (livestock products),
(xii) storage, transport, processing and conservation are cumbersome,
(xiii) shy seed producer, poor harvest index and narrow seed multiplication ratio, and
(xiv) the cost of cultivation goes down in subsequent cuts in case of multicut and/or perennial forages as well as in forage-cum-seed crops.

Fodder production systems

Intensive irrigated systems

Efficient utilization of limited land resources and other agricultural inputs for obtaining the best from the harvest in the form of herbage per unit area and time is the primary objective of intensive forage production system. An ideal system, besides giving higher yields and making the maximum use of available resources, must have favourable effect on soil productivity and provide sustainability to the production system. In fact, intensive cropping is the only alternative to boost forage yield from irrigated lands and overall productivity which covers about 30% of the cultivated area in the country. The multicut nature and flexibility in manipulating the duration for several forage species are desirable traits to increase cropping/harvesting frequency.

Multiple cropping
It consists of growing 3 – 4 appropriate annual forage crops as sole crops in mixed stands (graminaceous and leguminous) in a calendar year to improve herbage quality substantially and to enhance forage productivity per unit area. It also helps maintain soil fertility over long period due to addition of root organic matter. The degree of its success depends upon agro-climatic conditions, crop and soil management practices followed and availability of inputs. Selection of appropriate crops/varieties and adoption of scattered sowing and harvesting schedules ensure the regular supply of the quality forage.

Year-round forage production through combination of perennial and annual forages

Overlapping cropping systems developed at the Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI), Jhansi, to fulfill the needs of dairy farmers for green fodder throughout the year and for small farmers requiring maximum forage from a piece of land. It consists of raising berseem, inter-planted with hybrid Napier in spring and intercropping the inter-row spaces of the grass with cowpea during summer after the final harvest of berseem. This system was found superior to multiple crop sequences both in terms of production and economic returns. The hybrid Napier could be successfully replaced with relatively soft and palatable perennial grasses like Setaria and guinea grass and berseem with lucerne wherever required.

Association of perennial grass and legume components
Attempts were made to select suitable ideotypes of perennial grass and forage-legume components in order to reduce the necessity of repeated sowing and tillage and to economise the use of irrigation water in the system. This resulted in the identification of an erect, leafy and compact hybrid napier-IGFRI No. 3 and K 8 variety of subabul (Leucaena leucocephala). These crops when grown together in alternate paired rows (2:2) yielded around 200 tonnes of nutritious green forage/ha/year. Such types of system are less sensitive to fluctuations in soil moisture and are more suited to southern region where both the components grow throughout the year.

The associated legumes improve the herbage quality in terms of protein and minerals and help to economise on the use of nitrogenous fertilizers. Moreover, such production systems are less expensive and offer continuous employment potential. The component crops of the system can be changed depending upon inputs availability and yield indices of the crops in a region. Similarly, cultural management practices like crop geometry, spacing, planting pattern, etc. could be adjusted to facilitate use of appropriate farm machinery and effective utilization of irrigation water.

Intensive forage sequences recommended for different regions

The intensive cropping systems when managed properly using modern techniques of soil and crop management are able to yield 180 – 300 tonnes of green fodder (30 – 55 tonnes dry fodder) per ha/year. Some of the intensive cropping systems have been suggested for different regions.

North Zone
• Maize + Cowpea – Sorghum + Cowpea (two cuts) – Berseem + Mustard.
• Sudan grass + Cowpea – Maize + Cowpea – Turnip – Oats (two cuts).

• Hybrid Napier or Setaria inter-planted with cowpea in summer and Berseem in winter (9 -10 cuts/year).
  • Teosinte + Cowpea (two cuts) – Carrot – Oats + Mustard/Senji (two cuts).Western and Central Zone
  • Bajra + Guar (Clusterbean) (two cuts) – Annual Lucerne (6 cuts).
  • MP Chari + Cowpea (2 cuts) – Maize + Cowpea – Teosinte + Cowpea (2 cuts).
  • Hybrid Napier or Guinea or Setaria grass inter-planted with Cowpea in summer + Berseem in winter (8-9 cuts/year).
  • Hybrid Napier or Guinea or Setaria grass interplanted with Lucerne (8-9 cuts/ year).

  Southern Zone
  • Sorghum + Cowpea (3 cuts) – Maize + Cowpea – Maize + Cowpea.
  • Hybrid Napier or Guinea or Setaria grass inter-planted with Lucerne (8-9 cuts) or Hybrid Napier + Subabul / Sesbania (9-11 cuts/year).
  • Sudan grass + Cowpea (3 cuts) – M.P. Chari + Cowpea (three cuts).
  • Para grass + Centro (Centrosema pubescens) (9-11 cuts/year).

  Eastern Zone
  • Maze + Cowpea – Teosinte + Rice bean (2 cuts) – Berseem + Mustard (3 cuts).
  • MP. Chari + Cowpea – Dinanath grass (2 cuts) – Berseem + Mustard (3 cuts).
  • Hybrid Napier or Setaria grass inter-planted with Subabul or Common Sesban (Sesbania sesban) (9-10 cuts/year).

Principles and practices of growing important irrigated fodder crops

Crop production is concerned with the utilization of plant morphological and physiological responses within an agro-climatic environment to produce maximum yield per unit area and time. The development of crop production technologies is the master key to unlock the yield potential of crops. Fodders as a group of crops differ from food and commercial crops in several aspects; the principles and practices of their cultivation vary accordingly.

Water is the most important input for crop production especially in fodder crops where the maximum vegetative growth is desired within a short period of time. Provision of irrigation allows the maximum utilization of resources for intensive forage production, which is very important in our country with small land holdings. There are certain fodder crops like berseem, lucerne, turnip, etc. which, can be grown with adequate moisture while in others the production potential can be realized fully with irrigation.

A combination of diversified soil types, wide range of climatic conditions (cloudy to sunshine, hot to cold, dry to rainy) and a large group of forage species suited to different agro-ecological conditions and input situations, makes a congenial environment for intensive forage production programme in our country. The cultivated fodder crops can be grouped as follows:
Cereal fodders: Cereals are the crop plants belonging to grass family Gramineae and grown for their edible starch seeds botanically known as ‘caryopsis’. Cereal fodders and grasses are characteristically determinate in growth habit and their herbage quality starts deteriorating after flowering. Cereal fodders like maize, sorghum, pearl millet and oats provide energy-rich herbage to livestock. These have wider adaptability and variability in terms of growth, regeneration potential, yield and quality of herbage.

Legumes: The word legume is derived from the Latin word “Legre” (to gather) because the pods have to be gathered or picked by hand as distinct from ‘reaping’ the cereals. The plants belong to family Leguminoseae and having nitrogen fixing nodules on their roots. Legumes by and large are indeterminate in growth and thus, maintain quality traits over longer periods. The leguminous fodders have special significance because of high herbage protein and partial independence from soil for their nitrogen needs.

Other crops: Besides these important groups of fodders, root crops (turnips, carrots and fodder beets), Brassica spp. and vetches are used as supplementary source of feed to the livestock. Due to early bulking capacity and short duration, these are often gown as catch crops.

Package of practices

The forage production per unit area is a consequence of the interactions between genotypes and environment. A crop environment may be regarded as having two components, the gross environment, which takes into account the environmental factors affecting crop growth, and the current environment, which takes into account the general soil and atmospheric conditions outside the crop and also the changes caused by the plant community. However, the phenomenal increase in productivity is possible mainly through better varieties, seeds, fertilizers and agronomic technology. The package of practices of some important fodder crops (rainy season, winter season and perennials) are elaborated in following table.

Packages of practices of some important fodder crops
Crop	Seed rate (kg/ha)	Inter-row spacing	Sowing time	Irrigation interval and numbers	Harvesting schedule (days)	GFY (tonnes/ha)	Seed (tonnes/ha)
Sorghum (single cut)	12-15	40-50	June – July	Depending on 70-75 rains (in dry spell- 10-12 days)		35-40	1-1.2
Sorghum (multicut)	20-25	40-50	March- April	Summer 5-6 monsoon depending upon rains	1st : 55-60 subsequent 35-40	80-90	–
Pearl millet (single cut)	8-10	40-50	June July	depending on rains (in dry spell- 10-12 days)	60-70	40-45	1-1.5
Pearl millet (multicut)	10-15	40-50	March – April	Summer 4-6, monsoon depending upon rains	50-55 subsequent 30-35	90-100	–
Oat (multicut)	60-70	25-30	October – Last Nov.	7-8	1st 65, subsequent 30-40	50-55	2-2.5
Oat (single cut)	60-70	25-30	October Last Nov.	3-4	75	40-45	2-2.5
Teosinte (single cut)	15-20	40-50	June July	Depending on 100-135 rains (in dry spell- 8-10 days)		80-85	20-30
Teosinte (multicut)	35-40	25cm	March-April	Summer 7-8, monsoon depending upon rains	75-80, subsequent 35-40	80-85 GFY	–
Cowpea (rainy crop)	20-25	40-50	June-July	Depending upon rains	60-65	30-35	0.8-1.0
Cowpea (summer crop)	20-25	40-50	March-April	Summer 6-7	70-75	30-35	0.8-1.0
Lucerne	10-15	30-35	September-October	10-14 (12-15)	1st 60-65, subsequent 30-35	75-80	10-12
Berseem	20-25	20-25	2nd fortnight of October	8-12 (12-15)	1st 50-55, subsequent 30-35	100-120	0.8-1.0
Maize (single cut)	50-60	25-30	March, April, June, July	Summer 7-8, Monsoon depending on rains (in dry spell- 8-10 days)	60-75	35-45	3-5

 

CULTIVATION OF FODDER CROPS, THEIR DETAILS OF CULTIVATION

1. Jowar (Sorghum):-
2. Sowing Time: – March April June to August upto Nov.
3. Distance: -25 cm

iii.      Variety: – Ruchira (RS 11-4) Maldandi Nilva M.P.Chari PC 6, REO Pusa Chari ISP 4776 SSG 5903

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -20 Kg  (By machine) 50 kg Broad Casting
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – N-90-120 kg, P-30 kg, K-10 kg
3. Harvesting: -1^st cut after 70 days Then  each cut after every 45-50 days

vii. Yield per Hectare: -1^st cutting 25-30 tonnes Then 10-15 tonnes each cut.

2. Maize:-

i.         Sowing Time:- March April June to Aug Oct-Nov

1. Distance: -25 cm or 30 to 45 cm

iii.      Variety: – African tall, Majri Com, Ganga Safed 2, Ranga 5, Deccan Double, Queenganga 101, Gbm2, Deccan 103

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -45 kg 70kg Broadcasting
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – N 80-120 kg P30-40 kg
3. Harvesting: -1^stcut after 60-65 days

vii.    Yield per Hectare: -30-40 tonnes

3. Cowpea:-
4. Sowing Time: – Feb-May June-Aug.
5. Distance: -30 to 45 cm

iii.      Variety: – Ko1 EC 4216 HFC 42-1 PHOS 1 C-152 Number 998 RUSSIAN JIANT K 397 RS 9 UPC 5287

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -35 to 40 kg with 50 kg Broadcasting
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – N 15 kg, P 90kg, K 30 kg
3. Harvesting: -1^stcut 40-50 days their after 30-35 days

vii.    Yield per Hectare: -2 to 3 cuttings 35 tonnes

4. Gajraj:-
5. Sowing Time:- March-July June-July
6. Distance: -90×90 cm or 90×60 cm

iii.      Variety: – NB 21 RBNG Gajraj

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -25000
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – 80 car + load F.Y.M After cutting 25 kg N
3. Harvesting: – 7 – 8 weeks 1^stcut thereafter 4-6 weeks

vii.    Yield per Hectare: -30-35 tonnes from each cut

5. Lucern:-
6. Sowing Time:- Oct-Dec
7. Distance: -20 cm in line

iii.      Variety: – T-9, Chikalthana, Sirsa 9, Poona 1-B, Anand 2

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -25 to 30 kg
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – N-15 kg P-160-200 kg K – 40-80 kg
3. Harvesting: – 45-65 days

vii.    Yield per Hectare: -1000 to 100 quintal

6. Oat:-
7. Sowing Time:- Oct-Dec
8. Distance: -25 cm

iii.      Variety: – Kent, HFO 212B, OF-6, OS-7, UPO 94 ,No.2688, OL-9, IGFR-2688

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -100 kgs
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – N-90-120 kg P-30 kg K – 15 kg
3. Harvesting: – Within 3 months

vii.    Yield per Hectare: -450 to 500 quintal

7. Burseem:-
8. Sowing Time:- Oct-Dec
9. Distance: -20 cm

iii.      Variety: – JB1, MESCAVI, VARDAN, B.L.1,2,10,  JB-2

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -30 kgs
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – N- 15kg P-120 kg K – 40 kg
3. Harvesting: – 2 1/2-3 months, 3-4 cuttings/yr

vii.    Yield per Hectare: -800 to 1000 quintal

8. Bajra:-
9. Sowing Time:- Mar-April June-Aug
10. Distance: -25 Cm

iii.      Variety: – JAINT, RAJKI-K, 674,677, L-72,74, MBHF 1/4 E

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -10 kgs
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – N 70-120 kg, P 20-30 kg, K 5 kg
3. Harvesting: – 3 months

vii.    Yield per Hectare: -450 to 550 quintal total

9. Stylo Hemata:-
10. Sowing Time:- June-Aug
11. Distance: -50 Cm

iii.      Variety: – Hamal, Scaba,  Humilil

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: – 8-10 kgs
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – P 50 kg
3. Harvesting: – 40-45 days 2 cuttings

vii.    Yield per Hectare: -250 to 350 quintal total

10. Para Grass:-
11. Sowing Time:- May-July
12. Distance: -30×30 Cm

iii.         Variety: – Para

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -100,000 seedlings
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – 40 Cartloads FYM, N 25 kg
3. Harvesting: – 60-90 days 8-9 cuttings in a year

vii.       Yield per Hectare: – 100 to 200 tonnes/year

11. Rhodes:-
12. Sowing Time:- June-July
13. Distance: -60×60 Cm

iii.         Variety: – Rhodes 10

1. Seed rate seedlings per Hectare: -50,000 seedlings
2. Fertiliser (Hectare): – 40 cart load FYM Mixed
3. Harvesting: – 90-120 days 2 to 3 cuttings

vii.       Yield per Hectare: -150 quintal

The yield depends upon type of soil, its fertility and availability of adequate water in time. The yield also depends upon quality of seeds, seed rate, fertilisers used, weeding done and general agroclimatic conditions.

While deciding type of fodder crop to be taken, one has to consider number of animals maintained and green fodder required per day. Accordingly the land can be cultivated phase wise so that green fodder can be made available of equal quantity per day.

If good land is available, excessive fodder can be ensilaged. In other conditions it is suggested to chaff the fodder along with dry fodder and fed.

 

Improved varieties

Systematic forage crop breeding programmes at the research institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) have led to the development and release of a large number of improved varieties in different forage crops suitable for different agro-ecological zones. These varieties resulted in substantial increase in the productivity and production of forages in the country. The improved varieties released/notified during the past three decades are given in Table 37.6.

Forage crop varieties released/notified during 1974-2008
Crop/variety	Year of release/notification	Institution responsible for the development	Area of adaptation
Cultivated fodder – legumes
Berseem / Egyptian clover
Mescavi	1975	CS HAU, Hisar	Entire growing area
BL 1	1980	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab, H.P., Jammu
Wardan	1981	IGFRI, Jhansi	Entire growing area
Jawahar Berseem 1 (JB 1)	1981	JNKVV, Jabalpur	Central India
JB 2	1982	JNKVV, Jabalpur	Central India
JB 3	1983	JNKVV, Jabalpur	Central India
BL 22	1987	PAU, Ludhiana	hill regions of North India
BL 2	1989	PAU, Ludhiana	Northern India
UPB 110	1993	GBPUA&T, Pantnagar	Southern zone
Bundel Berseem 2	1997	IGFRI, Jhansi	North-west zone
Bundel Berseem 3	2000	IGFRI, Jhansi	North-east , Eastern region
BL 42	2003	PAU, Ludhiana	North-west India
HFB 600	2004	CS HAU, Hisar	North-west India
BL 180	2006	PAU, Ludhiana	North-west India
Hisar Berseem 1 (HFB 600)	2006	CS HAU, Hisar	Haryana
Lucerne
GAUL 1 (Anand 2)	1975	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat, Rajasthan, M.P.
Chetak (S 244)	1975	IGFRI, Jhansi	Central Zone
T 9 (Type 9)	1978	CS HAU, Hisar	Entire growing area
GAUL 2 (SS 627)	1980	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat
CO 1	1980	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu , Karnataka
LLC 3	1985	PAU, Ludhiana	Entire growing area
LLC 5	1987	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
Anand 3	1991	GAU, Banaskantha	H.P.
RL 88	1991	Rahuri, MPKV	Entire country
Senji / sweet clover
HFWS 55	1989	CS HAU, Hisar	Haryana
Shaftal (Trifolium resupinatum)
Shaftal 48	1991	PAU, Ludhiana	H.P.
SH 69	1995	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
SH 48	1987	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
Cowpea
Kohinoor (S 450)	1975	IGFRI, Jhansi	Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, U.P.
HFC 42-1 (Hara Lobia)	1976	CS HAU, Hisar	Haryana, Punjab
GFC 1 (Gujarat	1979	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat
Forage Cowpea 1)
GFC 2 (Gujarat	1980	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat
Forage Cowpea 2)
GFC 4 (Gujarat	1980	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat
Forage Cowpea 4)
UPC 5286	1981	GBPUA.&T, Pantnagar	Whole country
GFC 3 (Gujarat	1982	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat
Forage Cowpea 3)
CO 5	1986	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu
UPC 5287	1986	GBPUA&T, Pantnagar	North India
Sweta (No. 998)	1987	MPKV, Rahuri	Maharashtra
Charodi	1989	GAU, Anand	Gujarat
UPC 287	1989	GBPUA&T, Pantnagar	Entire country
Gujarat Cowpea 3	1990	GAU, Anand	Gujarat
UPC 4200	1991	GBPUA&T, Pantnagar	North-east zone
Cowpea 88	1992	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
Bundel Lobia 1 (IFC 8401)	1992	IGFRI, Jhansi	Entire country
Bundel Lobia 2 (IFC 8503)	1993	IGFRI, Jhansi	North-west zone
Guar/ clusterbean
FS 277	1974	CS HAU, Hisar	Entire guar-growing tract
HG 75	1981	CS HAU, Hisar	Haryana
HFG 119	1981	CS HAU, Hisar	Entire guar-growing tract
HG 182	1982	CS HAU, Hisar	Haryana
HFG 156	1987	CS HAU, Hisar	Entire growing tract
Guara 80	1990	North Zone	Punjab
Bundel Guar 1	1993	IGFRI, Jhansi	Entire growing tract
Cultivated fodder – cereals
Jowar
SSG 59-3	1977	CS HAU, Hisar	All India
Jawahar Chari 6	1978	JNKVV, Jabalpur	M.P. (medium & heavy soils)
Jawahar Chari 69	1979	JNKVV, Jabalpur	M.P.
Pusa Chari 6	1979	IARI, New Delhi	All India
Ruchira	1982	MPKV, Rahuri	Maharashtra
HC 136	1982	CS HAU, Hisar	Entire Country
UP Chari 1 (IS 4776)	1983	GBPUA.&T, Pantnagar	U.P.
GFS 3	1984	GAU, Banaskantha,	Gujarat
Pusa Chari 9	1984	IARI, New Delhi	All India
Rajasthan Chari 1	1984	MSUAT, Udaipur	Rajasthan
UP Chari 2	1984	GBPUA.&T, Pantnagar	U.P.
Pusa Chari 23	1984	IARI, New Delhi	All India
PCH 106 (Hybrid)	1985	PAU, Ludhiana	All India
MP Chari	1985	JNKVV, Jabalpur	Entire country
Rajasthan Chari 2 (SU 45)	1986	RAU, Udaipur	Rajasthan
CO 27	1986	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu
HC 260	1987	CS HAU, Hisar	Entire country
HC 171	1987	CS HAU, Hisar	Entire country
Gujarat Fodder Sorghum 4	1990	GAU, Anand	Gujarat
Pant Chari 3 (UPFS 23)	1991	GBPUA.&T, Pantnagar	U.P.
CSH 13 R Hybrid	1991	NRC Sorghum,	Maharashtra Hyderabad
Proagro Chari (SSG 988)	1991	Pro Agro Seed Co	Entire country
GFSH 1	1992	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat
MFSH 3	1993	Maharashtra Hybrid	Entire country
Punjab Sudex Chari	1994	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
Harasona 855 F	1995	Pro Agro Seed Co	Sorghum growing areas in
Bajra / pearl millet
Giant Bajra	1980	Rahuri, MPKV	Entire country
FBC 16	1990	PAU, Ludhiana	North-west India
Raj Baira Chari 2	1990	Jobner, RAU	Entire growing area
PCB 164	1991	PAU, Ludhiana	North-west India
CO 8	1992	TNAU, Coimbatore	Entire growing area
TNSC 1	1995	TNAU, Coimbatore	Entire growing tract
APFB 2	1997	ANGRAU, Hyderabad	South Zone
GFB 1	2005	AAU, Anand	North-west India
Avika Bajra Chari (AVKB 19) 2006		IGFRI-RRS, Avikanagar	Entire growing tract
Maize
African tall	1981	MPKV, Rahuri	Whole country
J 1006	1993	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
APFM 8	1997	ANGRAU, Hyderabad	South Zone
Teosinte
Improved Teosinte	1987	CCS HAU, Hisar	North, North-west & central
TL 1	1994	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
Barley
Azad	1979	CSAUT, Kanpur	North, North-east & central
VLB 1	1995	VPKAS, Almora	Hill Zone
Oat
HFO 114 (Haryana Javi 114) 1974		CCS HAU, Hisar	Haryana
Palampur I	1980	CSK HPKV, Palampur	Hill Zone
OS 6	1981	CCS HAU, Hisar	Whole country
OS 7	1981	CCS HAU, Hisar	Whole country
UPO 94	1981	GBPUA.&T, Pantnagar	Whole country
Bundel Jai 822	1989	IGFRI, Jhansi	Entire country
OL 9	1990	PAU, Ludhiana	North, North-west and south
UPO 212	1990	GBPUA.&T, Pantnagar	Entire Country
OL 125	1995	PAU, Ludhiana	Entire Country
HJ 8	1997	CCS HAU, Hisar	Haryana
SK0 7 (SABZAAR)	1997	SKUA&T, Srinagar	Hill Zone
Bundel Jai 851	1998	IGFRI, Jhansi	Northern & North-west
Bundel Jai 99-2 (JHO 99-2)	2002	IGFRI, Jhansi	North-east & North-west
Bundel Jai 2004	2004	IGFRI, Jhansi	South, North-west & Hill
JO 1	2004	JNKVV, Jabalpur	entral Zone
Harita (RO 19)	2005	MPKV, Rahuri	Entire country
Bundel Jai 99 1 (JHO 99-1)	2007	IGFRI, Jhansi	North-east, Central India
Cultivated fodder – grasses
Napier x Bajra Hybrid
CO 1	1982	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Hybrid Napier 3 (Swetika)	1983	IGFRI, Jhansi	North & Central Zone
NB 21	1987	New Delhi, IARI	Whole of India & tropics
Yeshwant (RBN 9)	1987	MPKV, Rahuri	Maharashtra
PBN 83	1989	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
Pusa Giant	1990	New Delhi, IARI	Whole of India & tropics
CO 2	1991	TNAU, Coimbatore	Entire Country
NB 37	1994	PAU, Ludhiana	North-west
CO 3	1996	TNAU, Coimbatore	South Zone
KKM 1	1999	TNAU, Coimbatore	South Zone
APBN 1	2001	Hyderabad, ANGRAU	North-west India
Guinea grass
PGG 13	1987	PAU, Ludhiana	entral India & Hills
PGG 14	1988	PAU, Ludhiana	Entire country
PGG 19	1989	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
Haritha	1990	KAU, Vellayani	Kerala
Marathakam	1993	KAU, Vellayani	South Zone
CO 1	1993	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu
PGG 101	1995	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
PGG 518	1997	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
CO 2	2000	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu
PGG 616	2001	PAU, Ludhiana	Punjab
Bundel Guinea 1	2004	IGFRI, Jhansi	North-west & Hill Zone
Bundel Guinea 2	2008	IGFRI, Jhansi	All India
Dinanath grass
Jawahar Pennisetum 12	1974	JNKVV, Jabalpur	entral Zone
Bundel 1	1987	IGFRI, Jhansi	Entire Country
Bundel 2	1990	IGFRI, Jhansi	Entire Country
CO 1	1995	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu
TNDN 1	1996	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu
IGFRI 4-2-1	1987	IGFRI, Jhansi	Whole country
IGFRI 43-1	1988	IGFRI, Jhansi	Whole country
White clover
Palampur Composite-1	1986	CSK HPKV, Palampur	H.P.
Red clover
PRC 3	2003	CSK HPKV, Palampur	Hill Zone
Range species – grasses
Dharaf grass
GAUD 1	1979	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat, Central & western
Marvel grass
GMG 1 (Gujarat Marvel	1980	GAU, Banaskantha	Gujarat, Central & western
Setaria grass
PSS 1	1989	CSK HPKV, Palampur	Sub-temperate hill region
S 92	2003	CSK HPKV, Palampur	Hill Zone
Anjan grass
Bundel Anjan 1	1989	IGFRI, Jhansi	Arid & Semi-arid regions
CO 1	1989	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu
CO 1 Neela Kalu Kattai	1991	TNAU, Coimbatore	Tamil Nadu
Bundel Anjan 3	2006	IGFRI ,Jhansi	North-west, West & South
Fescue grass
Hima 1	1998	CSK HPKV, Palampur	H.P.
Hima 4	2003	CSK HPKV, Palampur	Hill Zone
Sain Grass
Bundel Sen Grass	2007	IGFRI, Jhansi	Entire country
Bundel Phulkara Ghas 1	2007	IGFRI, Jhansi	Entire growing area in the

 

Basic need – To provide fodder for ten cows giving ten liters of milk each.

Area	Season	Fodder crops	Sowing	Time period when fodder will be available	Quantity available in quintals
40	KHARIFF	MAIZE + PAWNA	May-June	July-Aug	175
	RABI	OAT + BURSEEM	December	Jan-Mar	190
	SUMMER	MILLET(BAJRA) + COW-PEA	April	June-July	145
40	KHARIFF	SORGHUM OR MAIZE + COW-PEA	July-Aug	October November	145
	RABI	BURSEEM+OAT	January	March-April	190
	SUMMER	MAIZE + PAWNA	May	July-Aug	175
20	KHARIFF	GAJRAJ (3Yr)	Aug	Three years	280
	RABI	LUCERN (3Yr)	Aug	Three years	230
20	KHARIFF	GAJRAJ MAIZE	December	3 yrs	280
		COW-PEA	Aug-Sept	Octo Nov	90
	RABI	OAT OR BURSEEM	December	Jan-Mar	100

 

Dr. H. L. Shirsath,
Asst. Professor of Agronomy,
Padmashree Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil Foundation’s College of Agriculture,
Ahmednagar (Viladghat),

Reference-indiaagronet