Improving Dairy Productivity by Efficient Nutrition Management using Forage Crops
About Dairy industry – India is the global leader in milk production
With a high Bovine population of 300 Million and an annual output of 188 Million Tons, India ranks 1st and accounts for 21% of world milk Production. Urbanization & improved purchasing power is boosting the demand for milk and milk products. However, milk productivity per animal is lower for Indian bovines at 1,360 L compared to world average at 2,300 L.
- Low productivity of dairy sector because of nutritional gaps arising out of inadequate nutrition from green fodder, along with dry residues and concentrates, concentrates (Feed costs accounts for 60-70% of total milk production cost), feeding & dependence on concentrates (Feed costs accounts for 60 -70% of total milk production cost),
- Generating sustainable revenues from dairy because of high cost of feeding & dependence on
- Shortages and irregular availability of green fodder (India’s average deficit of green fodder is 11.24%),
- Only 5% of gross cropped area is used for Forages, therefore, farmers require more yield from limited available land, and
- High animal health maintenance costs due imbalanced nutrition.
- Milking animal gives 20 litres/day
- Feed requirement calculated based on the body weight of 450- 500 kg
| Diet Components | Actual Requirements | Farmer’s practice | |||||
| Kg | Dry Matter received (kg) | Cost (₹) | Kg | Dry matter received | Cost (₹) | Daily extra expenses (₹) | |
| Green Fodder | 40 | 8 | 60 | 15 | 3 | 22.5 | |
| Dry Fodder | 2 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 15 | |
| Cattle Feed/ Concentrate | 6 | 5.4 | 180 | 10 | 10 | 300 | |
| Total | 15.4 | 250 | 16 | 337.6 | 87.5 | ||
Lack of awareness about the role of green forages in improving dairy green forages in improving dairy productivity is also one of the key reasons for high dependency on feeds. Fodder production is one of the neglected areas adversely impacting the productivity and profitability of dairy. It is estimated that there will be a 40% gap in demand and supply of green fodder in the country by 2025. The reason for this is inadequate fodder seed production, market linkages, and very low seed replacement rate. Green fodder is an economically viable solution of improving nutrition and productivity of daily animals as microbes in green fodder help in improving the digestibility of mixed feeding system in India. By balancing the quantity of Green Fodder, the dependence on Concentrates can be reduced, resulting in savings of ₹ 90 per animal per day, leading to reduction of ₹ 4.5 / Litre in the cost of Production.
Role of Private CompaniesPrivate companies have a critical role to play in making available high yielding certified seeds of green fodder crops to help increased the forage crop productivity and reduce the demand supply gap in the country.
Some of major companies engaged in R&D and marketing of forage crops in India are Advanta Seeds, Foragen Seeds, Mangalam Seeds, Malav Seeds Pvt. Ltd. etc. Advanta is one of the leading companies in Forage landscape and has worked closely with farmers to improve the livelihoods of dairy farmers. The private companies ensure the year-round availability of green fodder though their range of forage crop seeds that meet the requirements of crop type, seasonality, single cut, multi cut, and usage. Some of the focus technologies of private companies for improvement in fodder crop quality and nutrition are:
- Improve the digestibility of forages,
- Increase biomass in forage crops by reducing internodal distance that also facilitates mechanization, and
- Reducing the Hydrogen Cyanine to minimize or completely mitigate the risk of animal poisoning even with early harvesting
Some private companies like Advanta Seeds, Foragen Seeds, etc. have also integrated online sale of the forage seeds through e-commerce players and mobile applications enabling the ease of access to quality seeds for farmers.
Private sector is well placed in the country to bridge the demand supply gap in fodder crops of the country by providing high yielding varieties/ hybrids that grow year-round, mature early and can be mechanically harvested. Such varieties/hybrids will help reduce the cost of production for dairy farmers and increase productivity and profitability of dairy cattle in the country. Some studies by private players like Advanta Seeds have shown that the new generation forage crops can achieve nearly 100% increase in the yield of green fodder, 25% increase in milk production, improve their health by enhancing nutrition, reduce heat stress in the cattle and reduce overall cost of production for dairy business.
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