42
A Survey of Feeds and Fodders
TABLE X
Balance of nutrients with 50 per cent increase in yield
Balance from the food crop . . . . . . .
From feeding stuffs (50 per cent increase)
.
.
.
.
From food crops due to extra milk supply
.
.
.
.
Total available for livestock . . . . . . .
Total requirement for livestock . . . . . . .
Shortage . . . . . . . . . .
Dry matter
in thousand
tons
9,495
50,902
371
60,768
74,294
13,526
Digestible
protein in
thousand tons
1,061.0
787.7
36.1
1,884.8
3,569.9
1,685.1
Net energy
in thousand
therms
18,850,000
27,996,345
734,700
47,581,046
70,411,997
22,830,952
Even with 50 per cent increase in the yield there is a deficit of 13.5 million tons of dry matter,
1.7 million tons of digestible protein and 23.0 million thousand therms of net energy. This indicates
that some feed or a crop which can provide the required amount of digestible protein and energy
within 13.5 million tons of dry matter is needed to balance the requirement. Grains like barley
bajra and maize contain the nutrients approximately in the proportion required. But, even with
the increased rate of yield more than 24 million acres of extra area will have to be cultivated to
provide 13.5 million tons of dry grains. On the otherhand, the shortage can nearly be made up i f
8 million acres of the present rabi area can be sown with berseem even when allowance is made for
the nutrients from the corresponding rabi crops as shown in Table XI. Where facilities are available,
this area can easily be spared for berseem. With 50 per cent increase in yield, the need of the human
population can be met from 25.0 million acres out of the total 44.5 million acres leaving 19.5 million
acres for raising feeds or fodders according to the requirements. The yield per acre of rabi food
crop has been taken as 1,621 lb. dry matter 73.3 lb. of digestible protein and 709 therms net energy,
the average of wheat, barley, gram and 'other food crops' for arriving at the net extra return from
berseem crop.
TABLE XI
Nutrients from berseem and rabi food crops
Yield from eight million acres of berseem (50 per cent increase)
Yield from eight million acres of rabi food crop (50 per cent
increase)
Extra yield due to berseem . . . . . . .
Shortage . . . . . . .
Balance
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Balance—percentage of total requirement
.
.
.
.
Dry matter
in thousand
tons
21,948
8,680
13,268
13,526
..
Digestible
protein in
thousand tons
2,958.8
392.9
2,565.9
1,685.1
+580.8
+ 16.3
Net energy
in thousand
therms
27,888,000
8,512,000
19,376,000
22,830,952
—3,454,952
—4.9
The deficiency of energy is only 4.9 per cent of the total requirement. The excess of digestible
protein by 16.3 per cent may be necessary due to the loss of protein while conserving the green feeds
The total production during the year has only been considered while balancing the nutrients
But without proper conservation of the green fodders as hay or silage, for even distribution of nutrient
throughout the year, full utilization can not be obtained.
It is evident from the above that, for properly feeding the livestock at least one-fifth of the
cultivated area should be put under suitable fodders even when the yield of crops is increased by
50 per cent of the present figure.