KAU Celebrates Kharif Forage Day
Shortage of green fodder and high cost of feed are major constraints in achieving desired level of livestock productivity in Kerala. The State is producing only 46% of its requirement of grass fodder in the dairy sector, and bridging the gap between demand and supply is a matter of great concern. Given the emphasis on green fodder production, a ‘Kharif Forage Day’ celebration was organized by the ICAR All India Coordinated Research Project on Forage crops and Utilization(AICRP FCU), Vellayani centre under Kerala Agricultural University. The AICRP centre envisaged for improvement in forages has earlier released many high yielding varieties of fodder crops including the recent Bajra napier hybrid ‘Susthira’ to the farming community. The day was observed on 9th September across the country to popularize and sensitize farmers, livestock keepers, students, industry people and other stakeholders as well as policy makers on the use of nutritious and green forage feeding.
The Associate Director of Research, Regional Agricultural Research Station (Southern Zone)Dr. K. N Anith presided over the function while Kalliyoor Panchayath President Sri K. K. Chandu Krishna, Dean of Faculty Dr. Roy Stephen, Grama panchayat member Sri Sreejin Palapporu, General Council Member Dr. Thomas George, AICRP Forage crops Officer in charge Dr. Ameena M. and Dr. Gayathri G. were present. Planting material of Bajra napier hybrid ‘Susthira’ released by KAU was distributed to the farmers during the event. Leaflets on fodder legumes ‘Rice Bean’ and ‘Stylosanthes’ prepared by the scientists of the centre were also released during the occasion.
‘Fodder crops have regional specificity and seasonality when compared to other crops. Hence the possibility of commercially growing grass fodder on rice fallows, coconut gardens, other shaded areas and fallow lands need to be explored’. Dr. Anith said.
Dr. Roy Stephen assured the technical support of KAU for enhancing the domestic capacity of production of fodder to meet the demand and emphasised the need to stepping up commercial production.
The Golden Jubilee Forage Garden established by AICRP FCU Vellayani was visited by the farmers which is the centre point for dairy farmers to experience the diversity of forages that can be cultivated in the humid tropics. The garden hosts a collection of 50 accessions belonging to 26 species of forage crops that serves multiple purposes. It is an aggregate of different species of crops that can be used as annual/perennial grass, legume, shrub or tree fodder. The fodder components grown and exhibited include 14 annual crops, 32 perennial crops and 4 perennial shrubs/ trees. On the occasion, around 40 farmers from the district were given first-hand information on cultivation of fodder crops with their nutritional quality.
