Performance and analysis of different fodder crops and perennial grasses in Eastern region of Bihar

Abstract

The fodder production in the country is not sufficient to meet the requirement of the growing livestock population and also forage offered to animal are mostly of poor quality. Fodder comprises a major protein of dairy ration of milch animal therefore cultivation of nutritious and high yielding fodder is inevitable. Profitable livestock farming depends mainly on adequate availability of fodder with reasonable price. Field experiment was carried out on “Evaluation of yield and acceptability of different fodder crops and grasses" at Bihar Agricultural University Research Farm during 2012 to 2015. Results revealed that the variety of Multicut sorghum, Maize (African tall) and cowpea (variety-UPC-5286) perform very well in terms of green fodder yield in Kharif season. However, in Rabi season, the variety of barseem BB-2 (Average yield 620q/hac.), Lucerne Mescavi (Av. Yield, 600 q/ha) and oat variety JHO-851 (Average yield 470 q/ha) was better perform followed by BB-3 variety barseem (610 q/ha), chetak variety of Lucerne (500 q/ha) and JHO-99-2 variety of oat (460 q/ha) was observed highest green fodder yield. However, in case of perennial grass the hybrid Napier variety Swetika (Av. Yield 1000-1200 q/ha/year) and Bundel Guinea-2 variety of Guinea Grass producing maximum fodder yield (700-800 q/ha/year) and also better adoptability andproduction potentiality of green fodder in eastern region of Bihar.