Feed and Fodder Development

Application of new technology supported by good management and health care, can produce a potential high yielding animal but without sustained supply of required level of nutritious feed such stock will not prove its worth. It is, therefore, essential that attempt should be made for ensured supply of feed. Feed is generally divided into (a) Concentrates, and, (b) Roughages. In concentrates, the D.C.P : T.D.N., ratio is narrow but well balanced and its requirement is much less as compared to roughages and it bridges the gap between the demand and availability of nutrition from roughages. Roughages are bulky but cheap and normally available locally as by-products of agriculture specially cereal crops. Though remarkable advancement has been achieved in agricultural production, little attempt has been made towards development of animal feed whereas more and more land has been brought under plough ignoring the land capability and encroaching upon forest and grass cover. The shrinkage of forest and grass cover has been reflected in shortage of fuel wood and fodder. Realising such a situation all over the country afforestation programmes have been taken up with fodder development as a joint effort of the Forest and Animal Husbandry Departments. Setting up of Agro-Forest/Silviculture/Social Forestry always incorporate grassland and fodder farming as components. Paucity of feed ingredients are one of the hurdle faced by the Livestock and Poultry rearers in the state. Most of the ingredients are to be imported from other states and therefore the cost of mixed feed is very high and not affordable to the poor farmers of the state. Effort are on to overcome such problem so that Animal Husbandry activities get a boost and thereby improves the rural economy.