Fodder and Concentrate Feed Situation in India
Fodder situation
a. National level
The fodder , both Green and Dry are always in short supply to Indian Livestock. The National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology at Bangalore predicted the Green and Dry fodder deficiency respectively at 32 and 23 percent in 2020 and further predicted that the respective deficiencies may increase to 40 and 21 percent in 2025.
b. State level:
One estimate done in 2007 put the green fodder deficiency in Tamil Nadu as 25 % with very wide variation in the green fodder deficit status among various districts in Tamil Nadu. On the other hand , in a recent estimate the deficiency for Green fodder and Dry fodder in Tamil Nadu was reported as 60.53 and 41.7 % respectively
The grim fodder scenario in India in general and Tamil Nadu in particular may be further be aggravated due to drastic effects of climate change on the quantity and quality of presently available fodder
Concentrate feed situation
Not much information is available on the status of concentrate feed in the country. The Working Group on Animal Husbandry and Dairying for Five-Year Plan in the year 2001 projected the concentrate feed deficiency in the country to range between 63.0 and 64.0 % . The requirement and availability for concentrate feed was predicted to increase from year to year and the deficiency level to remain more or less static. However , The National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore in 2012 recorded the deficiency for concentrates to range from 34 to 38 % between 2015 and 2020 and the deficiency level to remain more or less static.
Composition of concentrate feed
It is recorded that the composition of concentrate feed fed to livestock as 48.23 % Cereals, 8.29% Pulses, 37.35 % Oil cakes and 6.11% Manufactured Feed. A majority of Dairy farmers often buy the ingredients on their will , mix without any formulation and feed. This feed mixture do not have a balance of nutrients.
Of the total feed offered, Excluding Poultry, 50.03% is fed to Cows, 41.86 % to Buffaloes, 5.75% to Goats and 0.44 % to Sheep. Of the total Concentrate feed manufactured, 48 % was from Western ,31 % from Southern , 17 % from Northern and 4% from Eastern region of the country.
About the Author
Prof Dr M Murugan, Former Dean, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai.
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