FEED
& FODDER REQUIREMENTS FOR MILK PRODUCTION
IN
INDIA
Livestock production is backbone of Indian Agriculture
and source of employment in rural areas for
centuries. This sector has been the primary
source of energy for agriculture operation and
major source of animal protein for the masses.
Therefore India has been house to major draught,
milch and dual-purpose breeds of cattle.
Our whole system of rural economy has revolved
around livestock production.
However, there has been a rapid change in the
way agriculture operations are carried out like;
- Agriculture
production i.e. cropping system, water resources,
diversification of crops, intensification of
agriculture
-
Increasing
use of mechanical power V/S bullock power
-
Transformation
from sustenance farming to market oriented farming
-
Changing
food habits
All this has its impact on animal husbandry
practices including breed character requirements
of Indian farmer and thus their feeding.
India is house to 15% world cattle population
and 16% of human population to be sustained
and Progressed on 2% of total geographical areas.
Due to ever increasing population pressure of
human, arable land is mainly used for food and
cash crops, thus there is little chance of having
good quality arable land available for fodder
production, until milk production is remunerative
to the farmer as compared to other crops.
1. Scenario of feed and fodder requirement
& availability:
There is tremendous pressure of livestock on
available feed and fodder, as land available
for fodder production has been decreasing.
Scenario of feed and fodder availability till
2025 is as below: -
(In million tones)
|
Year
|
Supply
|
Demand
|
Deficit
as % of demand
(actual
demands)
|
|
|
Green
|
Dry
|
Green
|
Dry
|
Green
|
Dry
|
|
1995
|
379.3
|
421
|
947
|
526
|
59.95
(568)
|
19.95
(105)
|
|
2000
|
384.5
|
428
|
988
|
549
|
61.10
(604)
|
21.93
(121)
|
|
2005
|
389.9
|
443
|
1025
|
569
|
61.96
(635)
|
22.08
(126)
|
|
2010
|
395.2
|
451
|
1061
|
589
|
62.76
(666)
|
23.46
(138)
|
|
2015
|
400.6
|
466
|
1097
|
609
|
63.50
(696)
|
23.56
(143)
|
|
2020
|
405.9
|
473
|
1134
|
630
|
64.21
(728)
|
24.81
(157)
|
|
2025
|
411.3
|
488
|
1170
|
650
|
64.87
(759)
|
24.92
(162)
|
Source: Draft report of the
working group on animal husbandry and dairying
for five-year plan (2002-2007, Govt. of India,
Planning Commission, August – 2001).
According to another estimate by NDDB for an
expected production of 86 million of milk by
the end of 9th plan, annual requirement
of green fodder will be to tune of 1064 million
T and dry fodder to tune of 585 million T.
The current availability, however if estimated
at 570 million T and 400 million T respectively.
2.
FeedProduction:
(in million tones)
|
|
2002-03
|
2003-04
|
2004-05
|
2005-06
|
2006-07
|
|
Concentrates
available
|
41.96
|
43.14
|
44.35
|
45.63
|
48.27
|
|
Concentrates
required
|
117.44
|
120.52
|
123.59
|
127.09
|
130.55
|
|
Concentrate
Deficit
|
64.27
|
64.21
|
64.12
|
64.10
|
63.03
|
Source: Draft report of the working
group on animal husbandry and dairying for five-year
plan (2002-2007, Govt. of India, Planning Commission,
August – 2001).
The
most common livestock feed resources are: -
1. Crop
reduces (Straw, stoves, haulms etc)
2. Grass
land, alpine, sub-alpine, pasture land
3. Community
lands, Common property resources, wasteland
4. Cultivated
fodder
5. Forest
lands
6. Cut
and carry grasses
7. Novel
unconventional feeds, top feeds, famine feeds
8. Coarse
grain
9. Oil
meals
10.
Cereal
bran, hulls, husks
11.
Agro
products
12.
Fish
meals
13.Bone
meals
Source: Draft report of the working
group on animal husbandry and dairying for five-year
plan (2002-2007, Govt. of India, Planning Commission,
August – 2001).
It
is obvious from the table that deficit in green
and dry fodder is increasing every year, while
for concentrate gap almost static. But
this gap is critical and is going to determine
the type of animal and husbandry practices to
be followed.
3.
Livestock Population:
The above requirements
have been worked out on the projected livestock
population (equivalent to adult cattle unit)
as below: -
Projected livestock estimates when converted
into adult cattle unit (ACUs) massing are of
their expected age profiles are as under: -
|
Year
|
Cattle
|
Buffalo
|
Sheep
|
Goat
|
Equine
|
Camel
|
Total
|
|
1995
|
180.5
|
82.8
|
4.0
|
9.2
|
0.5
|
0.9
|
278.0
|
|
2000
|
187.1
|
87.7
|
4.1
|
9.9
|
0.4
|
1.0
|
290.0
|
|
2005
|
192.2
|
92.6
|
4.2
|
10.5
|
0.3
|
1.0
|
30
1.0
|
|
2010
|
197.3
|
97.5
|
4.3
|
11.2
|
0.3
|
1.0
|
312.0
|
|
2015
|
202.3
|
102.4
|
4.4
|
11.8
|
0.1
|
1.1
|
322.0
|
|
2020
|
207.4
|
107.3
|
4.5
|
12.5
|
0.1
|
1.1
|
333.0
|
|
2025
|
212.5
|
112.2
|
4.6
|
13.2
|
0.1
|
1.1
|
344.0
|
The
estimated livestock population was converted
to ACUs assuming that 350 kg of body weight
=1 ACU in cattle, 450 kg=1 ACU in buffalo, 10
goats=1 ACU, 10 sheep=1 ACU.
Source:
Draft report of working group for X plan for
AHCD, Planning Commission, August
2001.
4.
Quality of feed & Fodder:
Livestock
rearing in India is changing with the requirement
of time as is also evident that demand for milch
breed of cattle is going up as compared to dual
or draught breed. Population of indigenous
breed like Haryana, Nagori, Khilar i.e. dual
& draught purpose breeds has declined more
than milch breeds. In this globalize /
market economy dependent agri-economy, milk
production has to compete for growing fodder
on good or able land. Thus milch animals
have to be of high productivity and reproductive
efficiency.
4.1.
Role of cultivated fodders:
i) Feed
& fodder cost constitute about 60-70% of
cost of milk production thus cultivated fodder
has an important role in meeting requirement
of various nutrients & roughage in our country
to produce milk most economically as compared
to concentrates
ii) It
needs feed, which not only meet nutrient requirement
but fills the rumen to satisfy the animal.
iii) In
view of microbial digestion system, feeds have
to meet requirement of cattle maintenance, production
and requirement of microbes to promote digestion.
4.2.Cultivated
fodder crops have a place of importance for
feeding of ruminants in view of the following
aspects: -
a) In
view of the peculiar digestive system, provided
by nature, ruminants need feeds, which not only
meet their nutritional requirements but also
fill the rumen and satisfy the animal.
b) In
view of microbial digestion system the feeds
have to meet requirements of the animal, its
production as well as the needs of microbes
for promoting digestion.
c) The
fodder crops meet these requirements very effectively
and hence are important for ruminant production
system. As evident from reports that mixed with
coarse roughages, like wheat straw, its intake
and digestion are improved.
4.3.Fodder crops
provide all the critical elements like highly
digestible protein, carbohydrates, fats and
minerals. Green fodders are a very good source
of B-carotene (precursor of vitamin A).
i) Common
cereal fodder crops like Maize, Sorghum and
Oats are rich in energy and the leguminous crops
like Lucerne, Berseem & Cowpea are rich
in proteins.
ii) Leguminous
crops, like Berseem, Lucerne & Cowpea, are
a good source of major µ minerals,
so critical for rumen microbes as well as animal
system
iii) Fodder
cultivation has been traditional in most parts
of the country since farmers feel that the fodder
crops have some factor, which keeps the animal
healthy and productive. And hence since generations
farmers have marked out certain varieties and
crops for fodder production and cultivate these,
depending on availability of land and water.
4.4. The
green fodder crops are known to be cheaper source
of nutrients as compared to concentrates and
hence useful in bringing down the cost of feeding
and reduce the need for purchase of feeds/ concentrates
from the market.
4.5. The
stage of harvest of crop has profound effect
on the nutrient contents of the fodder crop.
The moisture and nutrient contents of the crop
decreases and fiber content increases with maturity
and hence harvesting at proper stage is crucial.
4.6. Fodder
production programme should aim at selecting
crops and varieties, which produce highest quantities
of ' Nutrients per unit of land and time period'
and hence a continuous search for improved varieties
is crucial.
i) Grasses
like Hybrid Napier and Guinnea grass are known
for high yields and their new varieties produce
good quality fodder. These grasses being perennial
and high yielding are useful.
ii) Shrubs
and small trees (like Gliricidia, Desmanthus,
Leucaena, Sesbania spp.) are very good and cheap
source of protein and minerals and can be introduced
between farm plots and have multipurpose utility.
4.7.
In case surplus fodder is available in some
season it can be stored in form of silage or
hay for lean season.
4.8.
Leguminous crops like Lucerne and Berseem are
useful in promoting ruminal development in calves.
5.
Role of common property resources in meeting
feed requirement of livestock:
It
has been tradition in India to have community
pasture land in each village, which has been
an important source of feed for cattle particularly
of weaker sections like landless / small / marginal
farmers. Each family has equal access
to these resources in the village. In
the past, group of villagers were taking care
of such lands and maintaining them, but after
abolition of this system, these properties became
no body’s property and are now in denuded condition
and encroached upon by influential or sold by
pachayats to mobilize resources. Various
type of natural CPR is as below: -
5.1.
Natural CPRs:
These
are nature-gifted and include:
a)
Land resources:
i)
Gochar
(plot of land left vacant for livestock grazing)
ii) Banjar
(degraded and wastelands, under individual or
group ownership but used as resting place by
livestock of the community).
iii) Gaura
(plot of land where milking of milch cattle
is done)
iv) Khaliyan
(land where all the members of the community
store their crop produce together)
v)
Nistar
(land reserved &SSS left vacant for fairs,
haat market, cultural ceremonies etc).
b)
Forest resources:
1)
Kakad
bani (plot of land with vegetative cover specially
between two village boundaries)
2) Devbani
(plot of forest land left by the community in
the name of god and used only in the vent of
natural crisis / disaster)
3)
Rakhabani
(plot of forest land left by consensual decision
of the community used as the last resort)
4) Devaranya
(plot of forest land for god)
5) Waal
(forest land owned by zamindars or temples,
may be used for cultivation)
6)
Beed
(mostly private dense forests used by the community
at the time of crisis)
7) Rundh
(private dense forests which could be used by
the community after paying taxes)
c)
Water resources:
These include
ponds, tanks, bunds, checks, wells, canals,
rivers, rivulets etc.
These CPR, are
important for livelihood and income generation
of poor people in all the states as is evident
below: -
Extent
of dependence of poor and wealthy households
on CPRs in dry land India:
(In million adult
cattle)
|
State
|
Household
category
|
CPR contributions
|
|
Income
%
|
Fuel
supplies %
|
Animal
grazing %
|
Days
of employment per household
|
Andhra
Pradesh
|
Poor
|
17
|
84
|
0
|
139
|
|
Wealthy
|
1
|
13
|
0
|
35
|
|
Gujarat
|
Poor
|
18
|
66
|
82
|
196
|
|
Wealthy
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Karnataka
|
Poor
|
20
|
0
|
83
|
185
|
|
Wealthy
|
3
|
0
|
29
|
34
|
|
Madhya
Pradesh
|
Poor
|
22
|
74
|
79
|
183
|
|
Wealthy
|
2
|
32
|
34
|
52
|
|
Maharashtra
|
Poor
|
14
|
75
|
69
|
128
|
|
Wealthy
|
1
|
12
|
27
|
43
|
|
Rajasthan
|
Poor
|
23
|
71
|
84
|
165
|
|
|
Wealthy
|
2
|
23
|
38
|
61
|
|
Tamil
Nadu
|
Poor
|
22
|
0
|
0
|
137
|
|
Wealthy
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
31
|
Source:
Integrated Watershed Management by Rajesh Rajora
CPRs
contribute and allow considerable access to
all users, but not all the sections of the rural
community are equally attracted by these potentials
and opportunities.
The proportion
of poor households dependent on fuel, fodder
and food items from CPR’s ranged between 84-100%
in different villages. In general, the
rural poor obtain the bulk of their fuel supplies
and fodder from CPR’s. Income from CPR’s
account for 14-23% of household income from
all other incomes and they form an important
source of income and employment, especially
during the periods when other opportunities
are almost non-existent. CPR’s complement
private farming by providing crop inputs, sustaining
animals and are especially predominant in drought.
In India current
land use provides 12 million Ha area under permanent
pasture and grazing lands which is lying as
wasteland. Out of 75 million Ha area under
forest, half is lying at the last stage of degradation.
Similarly, different surveys have pointed out
155 to 175 million ha as wastelands. These
land resources are vital for fuel and fodder
production.
In a project promoted
by BAIF, an area of 320 ha has been brought
under silvipasture system through community
participation in Bhilwara district of Rajasthan,
which has produced on an average 1.2 to 1.8
Ton / Ha of grasses in bad to average rainfall
year. In addition to above there will
be production of fodder tree leaves and pods.
Thus there is great potential to meet feed &
fodder shortage through this natural resource.
Even if 50% of this land is brought under silvipastural
system, there is potential to produce 200 million
tons of dry matter to meet shortage of feed.
6. Use of
agriculture waste straws to meet nutrient and
feed requirement:
Cereal and legume crop straws have been traditional
source of feed for Indian livestock. These
straws have not been valued much in the past
but with competitive milk production, its importance
as source of feed has gone up tremendously.
Therefore, there has been greater emphasis and
efforts to enhance nutritive value of these
straws with methods of treatment like:
-
i)
Urea
treatment
ii)
Alkaline
treatment
iii)
Amonia
treatment
iv)
Thermal
treatment (steam pressure treatment)
Though
different methods of treatment have been developed
but have not been taken or adopted by farmers
yet.
Now
there is emphasis on, treating straws with biological
agents like fungi.
However,
it should be clear that no toxic residues must
be left by these substances, which are harmful
to the ruminant and rumen microbes.
The net effect
of any treatment is a result in reduction in
rigidity of cell structure and swelling of cell
walls, so that electrolytes and cellulslytic
enzymes from rumen microbes can penetrate these
cells. These microbes can then colonize
the vegetal matter and decompose it more quickly
because hydrolysis has already taken place.
7.
Feed Supplements:
Similarly, lot
of work has been done to provide supplemental
feed to not only cattle through urea / molasses
block but it also enhances nutrient supply to
rumen microbes. Thus making it more efficient
to digest forage. Most common supplements
consist of:
i) Urea
strategic ingredient
ii) Molasses
iii) Mineral
iv) Fibrous
feed
v) Cementing
material
If all the treatments
are given with recommended dosages, rumen microbes
has been found to be efficient to convert these
feed into nutrients without any residual effect
on cattle rumen microbes and milk.
8.
Future Policy Directions:
Changing agriculture
production practices, globalization of economy,
market oriented production system, decentralized
/ democratic form of governance etc, have its
impact on livestock production system in the
country. Its production may be milk, dung
urine, it has to compete in economic terms for
allocation of resources of production with other
competing options of crops. Secondly,
in India agriculture and livestock has been
a livelihood issues and not only economic issue,
for many families specially landless, small
and marginal farmers etc. Therefore our
policies should ensure both these aspect.
Following policies may be focused in future.
i) Look
for good indigenous milch breeds of cattle particularly
for semiarid / arid climates, upgrade these
breeds through recent techniques as animal husbandry
is main activity in such areas
ii) Adopt
intensive and well-defined mile stones to achieve
growth in productivity of indigenous breeds
in such areas.
iii) Adopt
breeds / cross breeds in areas commensurate
with productivity of land i.e. in case of high
agriculture production area, cross breeds with
high milk potential will be able to compete
with agriculture crops
iv) In future
when need for fat is going to go down and cheaper
fats are likely to come from different countries
it is certain that cow milk production will
be preferable to buffalo milk.
v) There should
be focused programme on regeneration, promotion
of silvipasture or Gochar, revenues and wastelands,
which will not only meet shortage of feed and
fodders but will give equal access to poor and
improve environment also.
vi) There
is need to promote fodder crop production through
improved agronomic practices and use improved
seed. Extension in this sector is totally neglected
because it is part of animal husbandry department
for which it has never been a priority.
Thus we should look into the possibility of
attaching it to agriculture department
vii) Promotion
of techniques of treatment of straws and feed
supplements as entrepreneurial activity than
treatment at farmer level.
viii) Though
more than 120 varieties of cultivated fodder
have been developed but seeds are not available
because it is trapped in vicious cycle of lack
of demand due to lack of extension, which inhibits
production of seed etc. Thus this cycle
need to be broken through proper extension.
ix) Presently
research has been mainly conducted on cultivation
of green fodder in irrigated areas but focus
has to be given to dry land fodder or partially
irrigated fodder crops.
x) Extension
to promote balance feed, feeding chaffed feed
and proper storage of fodder to avoid losses
need also to be emphasized.
SHRI
RAMESH RAWAL
SR.
VICE PRESIDENT
BAIF
DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH FOUNDATION
109
MAHAVIR BHAVAN C-2
KARAMPURA COMPLEX
NEW
DELHI- 110015
