INVESTIGATIONS ON FAMINE RATIONS
KANS (SACCHARUM SPONTANEUM LINN.)
A REORIENTATION IN ITS USE AS CATTLE FEED
By NARAIN DAS KEHAR, Animal Nutrition Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar
(Received for publication on 11 May 1948)
(With one text figure)
S INCE the publication of the first article on famine rations [Kehar, 1944], more information
has become available on the quantitative and qualitative shortages of livestock feed. Ware
[1943] pointed out that the total supply of roughage and concentrates in India (excluding States,
for which accurate data were not available) was sufficient only for 78.83 and 29.1 per cent respec-
tively of the adult bovine population. If this supply is calculated [Kehar, 1946] on the basis of
physiological requirements of Indian cattle, weighing about 600 lb., the entire roughage and con-
centrates from all organized sources will suffice for only 106 and 35 million adult cattle respectively.
This, however, does not take into account their milk production or growth requirements, nor the
reqirements of 48 million sheep, 38 million goats, 4.5 million equines, 1 million camels, and 173 million
fowls.
These shortages are not only of quantitative nature but also qualitative, because straws, which
are nutritionally poorer than cultivated fodders, constitute more than 50 per cent of the total rough-
age supply. Even with normal rainfall the feeding-stuffs fall short of the livestock requirements
Since rainfall is rather uncertain in the tropics and in India three-fourth of the cultivated crop depends
on it, acute scarcity of fodder results from drought caused by partial or total failure of monsoon or
from floods caused by excessive rains. Both these conditions affect the productiveness of the soil
and livestock are exposed to the ravages of famine. Hardly a decade passes without the visitation
of a famine varying only in its intensity and it is known that since 1708 B. C. 105 famines have devas-
tated India. During such droughts, tanks dry up and springs fail to reach the surface. In the
1937-40 famine—the severest within living memory—which affected Rajputana, Sind, and Western
Punjab nearly 50 per cent of the animals died [Kehar, loc cit]. Jenkins [1944] reported that in the
province of Bombay hardly a year passes without reports of insufficient rains and consequent crop
deterioration or failure. He pointed out that the economic loss to the province as a whole was immense
scarcity conditions.
The present investigations are an attempt to use hitherto unutilized sources of feeds to help
animals tide over lean periods. The use of ripe munj and molasses [Kehar, 1944], mango-seed kernel
[Kehar and Chanda, 1945] and entrails [Kehar and Chanda, 1946] has already been reported. Obser-
vations on the use of kans are presented in this article.
Kans is found practically all over India, specially in the plains, and particularly in the Central
Provinces, Malwa plateau, and in the Terai zone of the United Provinces. It propagates both by
seed and by under-ground spreading root-nodes. Under favourable conditions it reaches a height
of about 10 feet, though usually it varies from 3-6 ft. It is very common on river banks, in damp
depressions and swamps ; but has also a remarkable adaptability to xerophytic areas and is often
found colonising newly thrown-up sand banks. According to Bor [1941] it is found in the intensely
moist portions of land adjoining rivers as well as in arid areas. Hole [1911] distinguishes three ecolo-
gical forms of kans, (a) a dry sandy soil form, a xerophylous, type, (b) a swamp form, a hygrophylous
type found in marshy swamps with an abundance of available moisture throughout the year and
(c) a loam form intermediate between (a) and (b). Kans is commonly used for thatching huts and
making brooms. Brown and Fischer [1918] in Philippines advocate its use for paper pulp. In
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