Description
Food grain production and livestock production are closely related in India as crop-residue forms the major source of fodder for livestock. It’s thus assumed that increase in food grain production has positive effect on availability of dry matter to the livestock. Using land use classification, crop production (2015 to 2020) and livestock census (2019) data, dry matter (DM) availability for livestock for 28 states of India was estimated. Hortipastoral opportunities by estimating area available under orchards in southern India were done to assess the possibility of introducing fodder crops in orchards. Some of the fodder crops were introduced in orchards of livestock farmers to know how fodder crops address the issue of fodder availability at household level. The lowest DM available state was Assam (52.80 % availability) and highest available state was Haryana (110.80 %). Eight states have surplus DM (+110.80% to +2.3%).
Twelve states experience DM deficiency (-2.96 to -47.20%). Inter spaces in orchards, a niche to cultivate fodder crops to reduce such fodder shortage, estimated to produce 67.13 MT of green fodder sufficing yearly requirement of 13.57 million Adult Cattle Units. Adult Cattle Unit is a reference unit which facilitates the aggregation of livestock from various species and age using specific coefficients derived based on the nutritional and feed requirement of each type of animal. Perennial fodder crops were introduced to 450 Mango and Coconut farmers (from 2016-2021) that reduced fodder shortage (50.6±4.39 to 9±1.64%).
Included in
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Fodder Scenario and Hortipastoral Opportunities to Enhance Fodder Production in India
Food grain production and livestock production are closely related in India as crop-residue forms the major source of fodder for livestock. It’s thus assumed that increase in food grain production has positive effect on availability of dry matter to the livestock. Using land use classification, crop production (2015 to 2020) and livestock census (2019) data, dry matter (DM) availability for livestock for 28 states of India was estimated. Hortipastoral opportunities by estimating area available under orchards in southern India were done to assess the possibility of introducing fodder crops in orchards. Some of the fodder crops were introduced in orchards of livestock farmers to know how fodder crops address the issue of fodder availability at household level. The lowest DM available state was Assam (52.80 % availability) and highest available state was Haryana (110.80 %). Eight states have surplus DM (+110.80% to +2.3%).
Twelve states experience DM deficiency (-2.96 to -47.20%). Inter spaces in orchards, a niche to cultivate fodder crops to reduce such fodder shortage, estimated to produce 67.13 MT of green fodder sufficing yearly requirement of 13.57 million Adult Cattle Units. Adult Cattle Unit is a reference unit which facilitates the aggregation of livestock from various species and age using specific coefficients derived based on the nutritional and feed requirement of each type of animal. Perennial fodder crops were introduced to 450 Mango and Coconut farmers (from 2016-2021) that reduced fodder shortage (50.6±4.39 to 9±1.64%).
