Track 2‐6‐1: Developing Intensive and Extensive Forage Production with Environment Friendly Technologies and Adoption of Mechanization
Description
Inadequate supply of quality feed and fodder is the primary cause of lower productivity of milch animals in India. Oats (Avena sativa L.) is an important fodder crop in J&K. Jammu and Kashmir state the fodder requirement is about 4.31 million tonnes against the available 3.26 million tonnes (Anonymous, 2008). Kashmir valley experiences a long lean period of winter, resulting in scarcity of green and quality fodder which results in drastic decrease in milk production. Therefore, to meet the need of animal products, there is a great importance of fodder cultivation to compensate fodder scarcity during lean period (Rabi crops remain dormant due to snow/ freezing temperatures). The best measure related to forage quality is animal productivity, which can be affected by nutrient intake, digestibility and utilization efficiency. Quality forage must have high intake, digestibility and efficient utilization. Physiological characteristics have significant impacts on growth and development of plants grown in production systems. Keeping the above facts in view, the present investigation was undertaken to identify the parents and their crosses for physiological and forage quality traits which are economically sustainable for forage yield and quality for sustainable consumption in hill agriculture.
Included in
Sustainable Quality Fodder Production under Temperate Mountain Agriculture in Kashmir
Inadequate supply of quality feed and fodder is the primary cause of lower productivity of milch animals in India. Oats (Avena sativa L.) is an important fodder crop in J&K. Jammu and Kashmir state the fodder requirement is about 4.31 million tonnes against the available 3.26 million tonnes (Anonymous, 2008). Kashmir valley experiences a long lean period of winter, resulting in scarcity of green and quality fodder which results in drastic decrease in milk production. Therefore, to meet the need of animal products, there is a great importance of fodder cultivation to compensate fodder scarcity during lean period (Rabi crops remain dormant due to snow/ freezing temperatures). The best measure related to forage quality is animal productivity, which can be affected by nutrient intake, digestibility and utilization efficiency. Quality forage must have high intake, digestibility and efficient utilization. Physiological characteristics have significant impacts on growth and development of plants grown in production systems. Keeping the above facts in view, the present investigation was undertaken to identify the parents and their crosses for physiological and forage quality traits which are economically sustainable for forage yield and quality for sustainable consumption in hill agriculture.
