Forage Crops and Grasses

Agriculture and animal husbandry in India are interwoven with the intricate fabric of the society in cultural, religious and economical ways as mixed farming and livestock rearing forms an integral part of rural living. Although the contribution of agricultural sector in the Indian economy is steadily declining the agriculture and livestock sector still provides employment to 52% of the work force.

Considering the huge gap between the demand and supply of green nutritious fodder and quality dry matter along with the static or decreasing land availability, efforts at various SAUs and institutes mainly IGFRI Jhansi were directed to intensify forage production per unit area per unit time, which can be achieved through improved high yielding varieties and better management practices. These efforts led to development of more than 200 varieties in different fodder crops.

Demand for livestock products:

India’s milk production has grown from 43 million tonnes in 1983 to 101 million tonnes in 2006-07. India stands first in milk production besides being self-sufficient in meat and poultry, the livestock productivity is low, providing limited resource returns. Further, the consumption of milk, meat and eggs on a per capita basis is still below the recommendations of World Health Organization (WHO).The availability of milk perhead per day in the country in only 178 g against the norm of 250 g. Similarly, the consumption of eggs and meat is only 35 and 800 g per head per year against the norm of 180 eggs and 11 kg respectively. Compared to productivity in other parts of the world, India’s livestock sector offers considerable scope for enhancement. Our cattle and buffalo produce less than 1,000 kg of milk per lactation as compared to 4,500 kg in Europe, more than 7,000 kg in the United States and 10,000 kg in Israel. The low productivity of livestock is a matter of concern. This is mainly due to inadequate supplies of quality feeds and fodder.

The human population in India is expected to reach over 1400 million by 2025. The 27.9% urban population is poised to increase by over 58% by 2025. Urbanization has brought a marked shift in the lifestyle of people in feeding habits towards milk product, meat and eggs with resultant increase in demand livestock product. 

Cereal forages:

Intercropping forage legumes with cereals offers a potential for increasing forage and, consequently, livestock production in sub-Saharan Africa. But in such a system the yield depression of the cereal grain should be minimal, possibly not more than 15%, for it to be acceptable to the farmer.

The time of sowing of cereal and legume is critical for the yield of each crop. Data so far available indicate that undersowing within 10 days of planting a fast-growing cereal such as maize does not depress cereal grain yield significantly, but with slow-growing, long-season crops such as photosensitive sorghum, grain yield is greatly depressed. In the case of sorghum, high grain yield is obtained if the legume is sown 3 - 4 weeks after the cereal.

Intercropping forage legumes and cereals generally results in higher fodder protein yield than cereal alone. However, fairly high yields of legumes are needed to augment the cereal residues in order to produce a feed composition capable of meeting the basal nutritional requirements of ruminants.

Cereal forages are in India

1. ·         Jowar (Sorghum)
2. ·         Bajra (Pearl millet)
3. ·         Maize
4. ·         Oats
5. ·         Job’s tear (Coix)

     Graminacious forages:

• ·         Napier grass (Elephant grass)
• ·         Napier × bajra hybrids (NB hybrid)
• ·         Sudan grass
• ·         Guinea grass
• ·         Motha dhaman (Birdwood grass)
• ·         Black spear grass (Heteropogon contortus)
• ·         Tall fescue
• ·         Golden timothy (Setaria)
• ·         Sewan grass
• ·         Marvel grass

     Leguminous forages:

      egumes have been used in agriculture since ancient times. Legume seeds or pulses were among the first sources of human food and their domestication and cultivation in many areas occurred at the same time as that of the major cereals. Nutritionally they are 2-3 times richer in protein than cereal grains and many also contain oil. Leguminous mulches have always been used as a source of nutrient-rich organic matter and nitrogen for crops. In more recent times, legumes have become important as high quality forages for livestock both in cultivated pastures and in naturally occurring associations. Of all plants used by man, only the grasses are more important than the legumes but it is the legumes that show the most promise for future exploitation and development.

The legumes are the third largest group of flowering plants comprising over 18,000 species in 650 genera which are well distributed in most environments throughout the world. Taxonomists have divided the legumes into three families:

Leguminous forages are in india

• ·         Berseem (Egyptian clover)
• ·         Lucerne (Alfalfa)
• ·         Cowpea
• ·         Guar (Cluster bean)
• ·         Rice bean (Red bean)
• ·         Stylosanthes
• ·         Hedge lucerne
• ·         Red clover
• ·         White clover
• ·         Metha (Fenugreek)
• ·         Subabul