Fodder crops have a major role in dairy farming, and selecting the right fodder crops can significantly affect milk yield and overall animal health. in this article, we will discuss some of the best fodder crops for dairy farming.
Listed some of the best fodder crops for dairy farming
Guinea grass
| Guinea grass sowing method | Root slips/Seed |
| Guinea Grass Seed rate per hector | 4-5 kg/ha Root slips/Seed |
| Guinea grass Root Slips per Hector | 40,000/ha |
| Guinea grass spacing | 50 x 50 cm |
| Guinea grass harvesting stage | 45-50 days |
| Guinea grass yield per Hector | 130 – 150 t/ha |
| Guinea grass Variety | BG-1 & BG-2 |
| Nutritive value of Guinea grass | Protein 6-8 percent, with well-balanced calcium and P. |
| Guinea grass’s nutritional value | * Highly palatable grass, with high dry matter content (15 -20%), free from all toxic principles. * Good soil binder. * Can be grazed, cut, and fed, also used for hay silage making. |
Grazing Guinea
| Grazing Guinea sowing method | Root slips/Seed |
| Grazing Guinea Seed rate per hector | 3-4 kg/ha Seeds |
| Grazing Guinea spacing | 50 x 50 cm |
| Grazing Guinea harvesting stage | 45-50 days |
| Number of harvests | 5-6 cuts |
| Grazing Guinea yield per Hector | 80-90 t/ha |
| Grazing Guinea characters | * Shade-loving plant * Well suited for sloppy lands like embankments |
Signal Grass
| Signal Grass sowing method | Seed / Root slips |
| Signal Grass Seed rate per hector | 3-4 kg/ha |
| Signal Grass spacing | 45 cm |
| Signal grass sowing time | June- July |
| Signal Grass harvesting stage | 35-50 days |
| Number of harvests | 3 cuts |
| Signal Grass yield per hector | 35-40 t/ha |
| Signal Grass characters | * Highly drought tolerant * Very good dry fodder value |
Fodder sorghum
| Fodder sorghum sowing method | Seeds |
| Fodder sorghum Seed rate per hector | 10-12 kg/ha |
| Fodder sorghum spacing | 30×10 cm |
| Fodder sorghum sowing time | June-July |
| Fodder sorghum harvesting stage | 55-60 days |
| Number of harvests | 5 cuts |
| Fodder sorghum yield per hector | 175 -200 t/ha |
| Fodder sorghum characters | * Profuse tillering & highly leafy * Drought tolerant * Free from pests & diseases |
Rhodes Grass
| Rhodes Grass sowing method | Seed/root slips |
| Rhodes Grass Seed rate per hector | 0.5-1 kg/ha |
| Rhodes Grass spacing | 50×50 cm |
| Rhodes Grass sowing time | June-July |
| Rhodes Grass harvesting stage | 55-60 days |
| Number of harvests | 5-6 cuts |
| Rhodes Grass yield per hector | 50-60 t/ha |
| Rhodes Grass characters | * High salt tolerance * Drought tolerant * Makes good hay * Pasture development (Low oxalic acid) * Not tolerate shade & water logging. |
Lucerne/Alfalfa
| Lucerne/Alfalfa sowing method | Seeds |
| Lucerne/Alfalfa Seed rate per hector | 10 kg/ha |
| Lucerne/Alfalfa spacing | 25×30 cm |
| Lucerne/Alfalfa sowing time | Oct-Nov |
| Lucerne/Alfalfa harvesting stage | 60 days |
| Number of harvests for Lucerne/Alfalfa | Every cut 25 days (11 cuts) |
| Lucerne/Alfalfa yield per hector | 100-110 t/ha |
| nutritional value of Lucerne/Alfalfa | * Rich source of Protein & Ca * Queen of Forages |
Stylosanthes hamate
| Stylosanthes hamate sowing method | Seed/ Stem cuttings |
| Stylosanthes hamate Seed rate per hector | 4 kg/ha |
| Soil type of Stylosanthes hamate | Infertile, acid, sandy surfaced soils, onto more alkaline soils |
| Number of harvests for Stylosanthes hamate | 2-3 cuts/year |
| Stylosanthes hamate geen fodder yield per hector | 25-35 kg/ha |
| Stylosanthes hamate Nutritive value | * CP 17-24 % * Digestibility 60-65 % |
| Stylosanthes hamate characters | * Good for silvi-pasture system and soil conservation * Drought tolerant * Improves fertility of soil * Very palatable |
Stylosanthes scabra
| Stylosanthes scabra sowing method | Seed/ Stem cuttings |
| Stylosanthes scabra Seed rate per hector | 4 kg/ha |
| Soil type of Stylosanthes scabra | Well adapted to infertile, acid, friable, or hard-setting, sandy-surfaced soil |
| Number of harvests for Stylosanthes scabra | 2-3 cuts |
| Stylosanthes scabra green fodder yield per hector | 30-40 t/ha |
| Nutritive value of Stylosanthes scabra | * Crude protein 10-20 % * Digestibility 50-70 % |
| Stylosanthes scabra characters | * Good for soil conservation in shallow and less fertile soils * Well suited to extensive grazing |
Stylosanthes guianensis
| Stylosanthes guianensis sowing method | Stem cuttings |
| Stylosanthes guianensis Seed rate per hector | 3-6 kg/ha |
| Soil type of Stylosanthes guianensis | Well-drained, open-textured soils from sands to light clays |
| Number of harvests for Stylosanthes guianensis | 2-3 cuts |
| Stylosanthes guianensis green fodder yield per hector | 25-35 t/ha |
| Nutritive value of Stylosanthes guianensis | * CP 12-20% * Digestibility 52-60 % |
| * Stylosanthes guianensis characters | * Grows well in high rainfall area * Adapted to acid infertile soils * Easily established from seed * Leaf stays green into the dry season. |
Macroptilium atropurpureum (Siratro)
| Macroptilium atropurpureum sowing method | Seeds/Stolon/stem cutting |
| Macroptilium atropurpureum Seed rate per hector | 4-5 kg/ha |
| Soil type for Macroptilium atropurpureum | Wide range of soils from clay to gravel |
| Macroptilium atropurpureum green fodder yield per hector | 30-40 t/ha/year |
| Nutritive value of Macroptilium atropurpureum | Crude protein 12-25 %, digestibility 45-65 % |
| Macroptilium atropurpureum characters | * Has wide soil adaptation * Best for grazing * Can be preserved as hay * Best suited for soil conservation, as a cover crop and fallow crop. * Drought resistant |
Desmanthes virgatus
| Desmanthes virgatus sowing method | Seeds/ stem cutting/ root division |
| Desmanthes virgatus Seed rate per hector | 2-4 kg/ha |
| Soil type for Desmanthes virgatus | Grows in a range of soil types from sandy and gravely soils to calcareous soils and rocky clays |
| Number of harvests for Desmanthes virgatus | 2-3 cuts |
| Desmanthes virgatus green fodder yield per hector | 20-30 t/ha/year |
| Nutritive value of Desmanthes virgatus | Crude protein 10.5% to 15.5 % |
| Desmanthes virgatus characters | * Shrub, grows up to 1.5 m tall * Suited as hedge row in alley farming. * Tolerant of heavy grazing. * Tolerant to problem soils. * Suitable for small ruminants |
Centrosema species
| Centrosema species sowing method | Seeds/ stem cutting/ layering |
| Centrosema species Seed rate per Hector | 3-4 kg/ha |
| Soil type for Centrosema species | Low to medium fertile soil |
| Number of harvests or cuts for Centrosema species | 3-4 cuts |
| Centrosema species green fodder yield per hector | 20 t/ha/year |
| Nutritive value of Centrosema species | CP 21-29% and digestibility 52-69% |
| Centrosema species characters | * Creeper suitable for high rainfall areas. * Can be grown in acid, low- to medium-fertility soils. * High forage quality. |
Fodder Crop Research Stations in India
- Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) – Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
- National Research Centre on Camel (NRCC) – Bikaner, Rajasthan.
- National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) – Karnal, Haryana.
- Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (CIRB) – Hisar, Haryana.
- National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology (NIANP) – Bengaluru, Karnataka.
