0 Forage production_.pdf

Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) Kumara Mahipala MBP Dept. of Animal Science, University of Peradeniya January 31, 2022: 9.00 am – 12.00 pm  Importance of knowledge and skills on forage production and conservation?...

Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) Kumara Mahipala MBP Dept. of Animal Science, University of Peradeniya January 31, 2022: 9.00 am – 12.00 pm  Importance of knowledge and skills on forage production and conservation? ▪ Bimodal rainfall pattern Yala Maha Forage requirement ▪ Yala and Maha seasons for growing herd ▪ Forage availability ‒ Surplus ‒ Shortage Forage requirement for Adult herd Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 3 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Content of Lecture - 1 ▪ Introduction to forages and their role in ruminant livestock production ▪ Forage classifications ▪ Present situation of forage production and current forage demand (Recommended references) Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 4 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  What are forages ? ▪ Vegetative matter (mainly leaves & stems), fresh or preserved, utilized as feed for animals ▪ Include all fodders such as grasses, legumes, crucifers and other cultivated crops ▪ Used as grazing green forage or in a preserved form (hay or silage) ▪ Can you name few examples for forages? ‒ Grasses (Guinea grass) ‒ Legumes (Gliricidea) ‒ Crop residues (Paddy straw) ‒ Cereal crops (Maize) ‒ Conserved forages (Hay, Silage) ▪ Forages are classified based on various features Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 5 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Forage classifications ▪ Natural vs. cultivated (farm grown) forage ▪ Pasture vs. fodder ▪ Non-maintenance, maintenance, low protein, high protein ▪ Cultivated, grasslands (pasture), forests edibles, plantation, aquatic ▪ Monocotyledoms vs. Dicotyledoms ▪ Cereals, grasses, legume, trees ▪ Legumes vs. non-legumes Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 6 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Natural vs. cultivated (farm grown) forage ▪ Natural forages (pasture) ‒ In developing countries natural grazing resources available mostly as “Common Property Resources”. (e.g. lake bunds, tank beds, common grazing grounds, roadsides, river banks, abandoned lands, grasslands, scrublands, forests, harvested paddy fields, etc.) ‒ In many developed countries (i.e. US, Australia) they are used for beef and sheep farming ‒ Not maintained (planting, weeding, fertilization, etc. not done) ‒ Low forage yield compared to cultivated forage establishments Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 7 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Natural vs. …. ▪ Natural ….. ‒ Mostly poor in quality Low in palatability and digestibility (high ADF content) Low in nutrient (proteins, soluble carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals) and energy content May contain harmful compounds (anti-nutritive substances) ‒ Natural forages may need to be supplemented with concentrates or high quality farm grown forages (e.g. Gliricidia) to balance rations of livestock therefore may be expensive Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 8 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Natural vs. …. ▪ Natural ….. ‒ May mix with noxious and harmful weeds when forage grazing or cut and fed ‒ Cattle threats, disturbances from other animals (e.g. sneaks, predators, elephants etc.) when cattle graze or harvest natural pasture ‒ Low in forage yield from unit land area ‒ May incur high labor cost for grazing management or collecting forages harvested Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 9 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Natural vs. …. ▪ Cultivated forage (pasture) ‒ Also known as farm grown pasture ‒ Forages are grown and maintained to feed livestock ‒ High yield compared to natural forages ‒ Mostly better in quality Species & varieties are been developed through breeding (selection) in order to improve palatability, grater nutrient & energy content, high digestibility, less anti-nutritive factors etc. Possible to feed livestock without concentrates ‒ Should give special attention using a proper package of agronomic practice (establishment, fertilization, harvesting, grazing, weeding, irrigation etc.) Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 10 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Pasture vs. fodder ▪ Pasture grasses ▪ Fodder grasses ‒ Short ‒ Tall ‒ Used in grazing systems ‒ Used in cut & carry (stall-fed/ ‒ Brachiaria spp., Rye grass zero-grazing) systems ‒ Napier spp., Guinea grass Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 11 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Pasture vs. ….. ▪ Pasture legume ▪ Fodder legumes ‒ Short like pasture grasses ‒ Tall ‒ Used in grazing systems ‒ Used in cut & carry (stall-fed/ ‒ Pureria, Centrosema, Desmodium zero-grazing) systems ‒ Gliricidia, Ipil-Ipil, Erythrina Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 12 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Fodder crops ▪ Cultivated plant species that are used as livestock feed ▪ Fodder refers mostly the crops which are harvested and used for stall feeding Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 13 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Importance of feeding green fodder (grass, legume or cereal fodder) for livestock ▪ Always economical ▪ The feeding of concentrates or compounded feed may give high output per unit of feed. But it may not be economically viable always for the countries where grains, oilcakes and milling byproducts are scarce and costly ▪ In most of the farming situations, feeding concentrates or compounded feed will increase the cost of feeding which in turn raise the cost of production Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 14 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Importance of ….. ▪ Cows yielding on average of 5-6 liters of milk per day can be comfortably maintained with feeding of green fodder only (grass or cereal fodder and legumes) without any supplementation of concentrates ▪ It is not economical for farmer to have intensive cattle, sheep or goat farm without sufficient provision for green fodder or conserved fodder throughout the year ▪ When land resource is scarce, forage production per unit area should improve with suitable forage production systems Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 15 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Classification based on nutrient density (in the dry matter) ▪ Non - maintenance ▪ Low protein ‒ Wheat straw, Rice straw, Maize and – Maize, Oats, Barley, Sorghum, Sorghum stover, Jungle hay, Cereal forages harvested at advanced maturity Root crops etc. ▪ Maintenance ▪ High protein ‒ Sorghum, Maize, Hybrid napier (CO3, – Berseem, Lucerne (Alfaalfa), Clone 13), All grasses Cowpea, Subabool, All Legumes Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 16 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Classification based on forage source ▪ Cultivated forage ▪ Forests edibles ‒ Legumes (Alfalfa/ Lucerne) – Grasses, shrubs and tree leaves ‒ Cereals (Sorghum, Oats, Maize) ‒ Root crops (Turnip, Sugar beet) ▪ Plantation origin – Grass and tree leaves ▪ Grasslands (pasture) ‒ Managed (Legume, Grass, Shrubs, Fodder – Fruits and fruit tree wastes trees) ‒ Unmanaged (Grasses, Bushes) ▪ Aquatic – Fresh water (Water hyacinthe, Azolla) – Marine algae Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 17 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Classification based on type of the seed Monocotyledoms vs. Dicotyledoms Monocotyledoms (monocots) ▪ Seed consists of one (mono) cotyledom ▪ Cotyledom remain below the soil surface when germinate Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 18 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Dicotyledoms (dicots) ▪ Seed consists of two (di) cotyledoms ▪ Cotyledom rise above the soil surface when germinate Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 19 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Classification based on plant type ▪ Cereals ▪ Legumes ‒ Annuals ‒ Annual (Cowpea, Berseem) ‒ Maize ‒ Perennial (Alfalfa, Stylosanthes) ‒ Sorghum (ratoon crop) ▪ Grasses ▪ Trees ‒ Annuals ‒ Always perennial ‒ Perennials (Napier hybrids, Guinea grass) ‒ Sesbania grandiflora ‒ Leucaena leucocephala (Ipil-Ipil) ‒ Caliandra Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 20 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Classification based on plant family and duration of the crop ▪ Legumes vs. non-legumes ▪ Each group further classified has ‒ Generally forages are grouped based on annuals and perennials the plant family as legume fodder and non- legume fodders ‒ Legumes belongs to family Leguminacea ▪ Legume fodder ‒ Annuals (Cowpea, Berseem) ‒ Perennials (Alfalfa, Stylosanthes) ▪ Non-legume fodder ‒ Annuals (Fodder maize, Sorghum) ‒ Perennials (Napier hybrid, Para grass) Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 21 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Forage legumes ▪ High in crude protein content ‒ One of the most important component of fodder in view of CP (20-25%) ‒ CP content of cereal fodders and grass is about 8 – 12% and 5 – 10%, respectively ▪ Legumes improve the quality of fodders when mixed with non-leguminous fodders ‒ While, non leguminous fodders (Cereal and grass) provided much of the required energy (carbohydrates) for livestock Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 22 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  ▪ Legumes are fed in small quantities (1-2% of body weight). ‒ While, green fodders of non-legumes are fed in bulk quantities (about 10% of body weight of the animal) ‒ Most legumes contain anti-nutritive compounds (Tannin, Saponin) ‒ If legumes are fed in bulk, it may create problems like bloat in animals Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 23 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Non-legume forages ▪ Non-legumes refer to all grasses belonging to the family of Gramineae (Poaceae) comprising 450 genera and more than 6000 species distributed throughout the world ▪ Grasses considerably vary in their habits, size and habitat ▪ Some grasses are annuals while others are perennials Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 24 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Cereals ▪ Cereals are another group of non-legumes ▪ Play an important role in the feeding of dairy animals ▪ Farmers in most developing countries do not grow cereals exclusively for fodder purpose ‒ Instead cereals grow mainly for human consumption and straw / stover is used as ruminant feed ‒ But, such straw/ stover are very poor in their nutritive value compared to their value as green fodder ▪ Cereal varieties have been developed exclusively for fodder purpose. These forage crops should not be allowed for grain setting Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 25 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Forage grasses vs legumes Forage grass Forage legumes Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 26 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Forage grasses ….. Forage grass ‒ Plants belong to family Graminae (Poaceae) ‒ There are pasture & fodder grasses ‒ Herbaceous (not woody) ‒ Monocotyledoms ‒ Consists of fibrous root system ‒ Leaves consisting leaf sheath and leaf blade. Stem is formed from leaf sheath ‒ Produce inflorescence (seeds), stolons and rhizomes ‒ Natural propagation is through seeds Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 27 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Forage grasses ….. Forage grass ▪ Stolons ‒ Grow at the soil surface or just below the ground ‒ Form adventitious roots at the nodes and new plants from the buds ‒ They are often called runners ▪ Rhizomes ‒ They are modified stems running underground horizontally ‒ They strike new roots out of their nodes, down into the soil and shoot new stems up to the surface out of their nodes ‒ Rhizomes store nutrients ▪ Stem cuttings, stolons and rhizomes are used for vegetative propagation Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 28 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Forage legumes Forage legumes ‒ Plants belong to family Leguminacea (Fabaceae) that used as livestock feed ‒ Dicotyledoms ‒ Consist of a tap root system ‒ There are pasture and fodder legumes ‒ Consists of compound leaves ‒ Seeds in pods mainly used for propagation ‒ Stolons (runners) also used for vegetative propagation Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 29 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Forage legumes Root nodules of legume ‒ Legumes are more drought resistant due to tap root system ‒ They fix atmospheric nitrogen in root nodules due to the symbiosis between legume plant and rhizobium bacteria Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 30 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Multi purpose trees (MPTs) ▪ Trees that are grown for more than one purpose as animal feed, human food (fruits, nuts, vegetables), fire wood, timber, mulch, live fence ▪ Include many species ‒ Legumes (Erythrina, Calliandra, Ipil-Ipil, Gliricidia, Moringa) ‒ Non-legumes (Jack fruit, Neem) Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 31 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Grasslands ▪ Also known as pasture ▪ A field covered with grass (and legumes) ▪ Can be natural or cultivated Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 32 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya  Recommended references ▪ FAO (2006) Country pasture (forage) resource profiles - Sri Lanka Forage Production and Conservation (AS 2103) 33 Kumara Mahipala MBP/ Faculty of Agriculture, University of Peradeniya