LPM 121: Fodder Production and Grassland Management (1+1)

AGRO-INDUSTRY WASTES AND OTHER UNCONVENTIONAL FEEDS

• Besides tree leaves as roughages, other byproducts such as flowers, fruits and pods can also be sued as cattle feed. Important trees where byproducts can be exploited are subabul, mango, tamarind etc. The ground pods (Prosopis juliflora) can be used upto 30% level in concentrate of milch cow.
• Mango seed, mango seed kernels (1.1 DCP and 73.7% TDN) are generally available in summer season and can be used upto 10, 20 and 40% in concentrate part of the ration for milk production, growth and maintenance.
• Subabul seeds can be used as part of the ration for feeding the livestock. The seeds have 19.6% DCP and 68.4% TDN on DMB. The seeds contain higher amount of mimosin (3.1%) hence the use should be restricted. Other materials such as tomato waste, neem seed cake, etc. will also be useful during scarcity.
• The importance of utilising the unconventional feeds to augment the existing resources of conventional livestock feed was recognized more than 30 years ago. India is facing a shortage of animal feeds and fodder in terms of nutrients.
• Moreover, this condition aggravates due to natural calamities like drought and flood. Recent studies indicated that quite a large number of agricultural by-products and industrial waste materials could be used for feeding livestock. Some of the unconventional livestock feeds used in India are described below in four groups :
• Vegetable protein sources
• Animal protein sources
• Energy sources
• Other miscellaneous unconventional feeds