Track 2-1-2: Forage Conservation, Value Addition and Balanced Nutrition
Description
The Rajasthan state is blessed with huge livestock population but the fodder availability is limited in this region. To deal with scarcity the locally available tree leaves and forages are provided to the livestock. Fodder tree/shrub legumes have the potential for alleviating some of the feed shortages and nutritional deficiencies experienced in the dry season on small holder farms. Tree leaves are rich in protein, carotene and minerals and contribute a sizable amount of edible biomass and has been considered as a potential source of sustenance since ages for raising livestock, particularly sheep and goat which are principle grazing animals. Green leaves are more palatable and animals relish them better than dry leaves. Green leaves serve as maintenance ration for livestock but dry leaves need supplementation with feed rich in minerals, particularly phosphorus. Farmers are mostly dependent upon locally available grasses and usually practices feeding of little quantity of homemade concentrate mixture without supplementation of mineral mixture as a result animals suffer from various deficiency diseases. There is a need to estimate the macro and micro mineral content of different forage grasses and tree leaves. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess macro and micro mineral profile of different forages of Dausa district of Rajasthan.
Included in
Evaluation of Macro and Micro Mineral Concentration of Some Common Forages of Dausa District of Rajasthan
The Rajasthan state is blessed with huge livestock population but the fodder availability is limited in this region. To deal with scarcity the locally available tree leaves and forages are provided to the livestock. Fodder tree/shrub legumes have the potential for alleviating some of the feed shortages and nutritional deficiencies experienced in the dry season on small holder farms. Tree leaves are rich in protein, carotene and minerals and contribute a sizable amount of edible biomass and has been considered as a potential source of sustenance since ages for raising livestock, particularly sheep and goat which are principle grazing animals. Green leaves are more palatable and animals relish them better than dry leaves. Green leaves serve as maintenance ration for livestock but dry leaves need supplementation with feed rich in minerals, particularly phosphorus. Farmers are mostly dependent upon locally available grasses and usually practices feeding of little quantity of homemade concentrate mixture without supplementation of mineral mixture as a result animals suffer from various deficiency diseases. There is a need to estimate the macro and micro mineral content of different forage grasses and tree leaves. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess macro and micro mineral profile of different forages of Dausa district of Rajasthan.
