Performance of bajra napier hybrid grown on bunds in comparison to native grasses

Abstract

To bridge the huge gap of green fodder demand and supply in eastern region of India, it is recommended to bring the more area under fodder cultivation i.e. up to 10% of total cropped area. Production of perennial forage crop on field bund may be an alternative for horizontal expansion that roughly occupies 7-10% of total area. Bund with the height of 70 cm was prepared along the boundary of one acre plot with base and top width of 100 and 70 cm, respectively. Pits were dug out on bund with distance of 50 cm from pit-to-pit. Each pit had 20-25 cm diameter and 20 cm depth. The mixture of FYM (200 kg), DAP (2.5 kg) and K2O (1.5 kg) was added @ 250 g/pit and mixed with soil. Two root-slips of perennial bajra napier hybrid var. CO3 having 25-30 cm length were transplanted in each pit in the month of July after a shower. Fodder was harvested at 55, 115, 170, 265 and 320 days after transplanting. Similarly, bunds of one acre land were left for growth of native grasses. Other practices were at par with bajra napier hybrid. Digestion cum feeding experiment in crossbred cattle heifer was conducted to study the palatability and digestibility of nutrients. Annual cumulative fodder yield of 280 t/ha was obtained with DM content ranging from 12.72 to 19.26% and cost of fodder production of Rs. 0.15 per kg. The nutrients composition showed that quality wise bajra napier hybrid was at par with most of the cereal fodder crops. It also showed good palatability with average dry matter intake (DMI) of 2.24 kg/100kg body weight in crossbred cattle heifers with digestibility of DM (64.45 %) and CP (50.61%). So it was recommended that the smallholders must cultivate perennial fodder on bunds for supplying green fodder round the year and fodder available on 280 m2 bund area of one acre land is sufficient to feed one livestock unit round the year @ 25 kg/day.