Developing cropping sequence modules for round the year green fodder production under irrigated conditions in North-west Himalayan region

Abstract

The objective of the experiment was to develop cropping sequence modules for round the year green fodder production for feeding 50 dairy cattle under irrigated conditions in North-West Himalayan region. Various modules were initiated at Research Farm of Instructional Livestock Farm Centre, R.S. Pura, FVSc. & A.H., SKUAST-Jammu during 2016 in an area of 2.5 ha. The experimental data was collected after fully establishing fodder unit during 2017-18 and 2018-19. Five fodder sequences modules viz. Module 1 – Maize+Cowpea-Berseem+Mustard; Module 2- Swankhi, Cowpea, Bajra-Berseem+Oats; Module 3 – Sorghum-oats; Module 4 – perennial module (two perennial grasses and two fodder trees) and Module 5 – azolla (supplemental module) were developed for ensuring supply of quality green fodder round the year to feed 50 dairy animals. The efficiency of modules was adjudged by taking system productivity and economic parameters of fodder and milk yield, and composition parameters for lactation study. Statistical analysis was done with one-way and two-way ANOVA. Among annual crop sequence modules, Module 1 showed highest system productivity, maximum net returns and B:C ratio while among perennial fodder grasses, hybrid napier produced significantly highest system productivity along with maximum net returns and B:C ratio. Among fodder trees, Bauhinia variegate had maximum productivity. Further, lactation studies revealed that highest total milk yield of 12 animals (10 cows and 2 buffaloes) and milk components (10 cows), viz. fat yield, protein yield, lactose yield, SNF yield, etc. were achieved when animals were fed with mixed fodder of maize+cowpea whereas, the highest milk energy was found from those sampled cows which were fed berseem+oats. Thus, under subtropical conditions of Jammu, Maize+Cowpea-Berseem+Mustard module was considered more remunerative based on system productivity and milk parameters followed by perennial fodder and Sorghum-oat module.