Fodder Production and Grassland Management

ARTIFICIAL PASTURE

• The inclusion of grasses in crop rotation is common feature in foreign countries. Grasses kept in field for 3 to 10 years, then field is ploughed and brought under other crops. These grasslands are otherwise called as temporary pasture or ley farming or leys.
• The land is prepared similar to other crops. In this method  seeds of  grasses and legumes are mixed together and sown as a mixed crop. The inclusion of legumes is advantageous in many ways.
• They are rich in protein and they raise protein content of the feed. They enrich soil by fixing atmospheric nitrogen and consequently the grasses that are associated with legumes make a better growth than the grasses which are grown alone.
• The grasses and legumes selected should be rich in foliage growth which inturn have rich protein and minerals.