A Note on J.75 (Fodder Sorghum) of the Agricultural Research Station, Guntur.

Abstract

Ongole in Guntur District is the centre of the Ongole breed of cattle. The breeding tract of this type extends to the dry Taluks of Ongole, Bapatla, Narasaraopeta, Guntur and Vinukonda of the Guntur District and Darsi and Kandukur of Nellore District.. The soils in these taluks are mostly heavy black soils, where sorghum grows well, yielding a good cattle feed. The hardiness and strong bony structure found in the Ongole breed is said to be due to sorghum fodder-and abundant lime in the soils of Guntur. Ryots of this tract take much care in cattle-breeding and a fourth of their holding is usually left as pasture for cattle grazing, In addition to putting a good proportion of the cultivated area under fodder crops. With the increase in population, conditions have changed at present, and the grazing areas have been brought under the plough and converted into cultivated lands; thus the private grazing areas are reduced. In the case of cultivated lands, in spite of giving a prominent place to commercial crops like tobacco, chillies etc., ryots do take oven now great care of their cattle and grow enough fodder crops for maintaining them in good condition. Of the total area of 4,21,090 acres under fodder crops normally grown in the province, 1,81,600 acres (or 43% of the total area) are in the Guntur and Kistna Districts.