Applied Animal Nutrition-I

PRESENT STATUS OF FEEDING RUMINANTS IN INDIA

Dairy cow and buffalo

• Non descript cows and buffaloes with low milk production ability are allowed for grazing after morning milking till evening milking time.
• Common grasses are cut from bunds and fodders like paddy straw, sorghum fodder are fed as dry fodders.
• Medium and high yielding animals are maintained in house and fed with cultivated grasses like Bajra Napier grass, Sorghum fodder,Guinea grass and leguminous fodders like Hedge Lucerne, Cowpea etc. In addition concentrate feeds comprising of grains, oil cakes, brans and mineral supplements are fed.
• In organised farms, the body weight of the animals are measured and the nutrient requirement of the animal for maintenance and production are calculated and accordingly fed as a balanced ration containing green fodder, dry fodder and concentrates.

Sheep and Goats

• Nearly 80 to 90 % of the Sheep and Goats in India are reared under free range system.
• They are allowed for 6- 8 hours grazing in cultivated lands, and village pond bunds. Occasionally tree leaves are lopped and fed.
• In few parts of India, intensive goat farming through semi intensive  system or slatted floor housing system has gained momentum,wherein the sheep and goats are stall fed with cultivated fodders and concentrates