N. C. DAS GUPTA 41
From Table VIII it is observed that amongst the food crops maize gives the best return, net
energy per acre being 1,19.4 therms. Wheat, barley and rice come next in order. But all the main
fodder crops provide at least twice the amount of net energy than maize as a grain crop. The return
of protein is also much higher from fodder crops. An acre of lucerne provides the maximum nutrients
but it occupies the land throughout the year. The rotation berseem and chari or bajra comes next
followed in order by the rotations oats and guar, soyabean or maize, and senji and jowar, maize or
bajra. With the above considerations it is possible to produce from the extra 10 million acres which
is approximately equivalent to net 6.39 million acres when double cropping is taken into account,
the amount of nutrients as given in Table IX in excess if fodder crops are raised.
TABLE IX
Extra nutrients if fodder crops are raised
Lucerne . . .
Berseem . . .
Oat
.
.
. .
Senji .
.
.
.
TOTAL
Total during the year by
raising fodder crops
Total when food crops are
grown
Extra at a result of fodder
crops
Rabi
Area in
thousand
acres
1,500
2,500
2,000
390
6,390
6,390
6,390
..
Dry
matter in
thousand
tons
6,589
4,804
3,661
714
15,768
24,699
2,628
22,071
Digestible
protein in
thousand
tons
1,163.0
647.4
385.1
71.4
2,266.9
2,653.0
288.4
2,364.6
Therms
in
thousands
6,642,000
6,100,000
4,098,000
607,700
17,447,700
27,110,480
5,216,660
21,893,820
Kharif
Lucenre . .
Jowar . .
Bajra . .
Guar . .
Soyabean . .
J Maize . .
Maize . .
TOTAL .
Area in
thousand
aores
..
1,250
1,250
400
600
1,000
390
4,890
Dry
matter in
thousand
tons
..
2,861
2,289
549
687
1,831
714
8,931
Digestible
protein in
thousand
tons
..
57.2
98.9
29.2
87.8
81.3
31.7
386.1
Therms
in
thousands
..
2,883,000
2,616,000
324,680
805,800
2,182,000
851,300
9,662,780
It is observed that it is possible to make up the deficiency in the amount of protein from the
area which can be spared from food crops with suitable fodder crops. But, 15,626 thousand tons
of dry matter and 24,637,287 thousand therms remain still to be provided. Since grains supply
more energy weight for weight, it usually becomes necessary to include grains in the ration to meet
the energy requirement within the limited capacity of dry matter intake. Hence, either the area
under cultivation should be increased by utilizing the culturable waste or the yield improved for
providing more grains for balancing the energy.
In certain localities it may not always be possible to increase the area under cultivation and
in others it may be undesirable, as it would either reduce the grazing land or increase soil erosion.
On the otherhand, in view of the present poor yield, it appears to be more feasible to increase the
yield. Additional production can also release more area for raising fodders if necessary.
In case it is possible to increase the yield by 50 per cent, 2,429.6 thousand tons of protein and
85,956,825 thousand therms fuel can be made available, with the present cropping arrangement.
After providing for the human population the excess nutrients can provide 9,495 thousand tons dry
matter, 1,061.0 thousand tons digestible protein and 18,850,000 thousand therms net energy for
feeding livestock. The balance of nutrients is shown in Table X.
F