Green fodder; why not? When India already has a shortage of green fodder production of 63.5% approx or more, investing in it can be lucrative. Sure, you will need to convince and help farmers to use them while allowing them to realize its benefits on multiple levels. In fact, it is found that fodder crops can give more return than the cash crops. On the humanitarian ground, the biggest reason for using fresh green fodder is to stop the inhumane activities that are carried out on cattle for milk.
To cater to the demands and needs of the urban liquid plants, the dairy farmers feed concentrates and supplements to the cattle. And when these concentrates are fed in a huge amount they affect the digestive and reproductive system of the animals, thereby causing infertility in the female cattle, who are sent for slaughter later. They are then impregnated by artificial insemination and most of the times excessive administration of Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone leads to inflammation of the udder.
Green fodder will work as a natural nutrient when playing a crucial role in livestock growth. Moreover, it will cut down the expenditure on costly feed and since its maintenance is quite low it will be feasible for farmers to store. In short, it will provide a high yield in low cost.
Let’s have a look at the many benefits green fodder offers in multiple levels;
Benefits to the Dairy Animals
- Greater vitality
- Has an alkalizing effect
- Stimulates immunity
- Improves reproductive capacity
- Enhance digestibility
- Reduces anti-nutritional factors
- Detoxifies blood
- Anti-oxidant properties
- Increases survival rate of the newborn
- Resist disease
Benefits to the Farmers
- The farmer doesn’t have to do any type of guesswork as they already know what the nutritional value is.
- Farmers can cut their budget on buying expensive feeds
- Green fodder production can be quite financially feasible in areas where there is poor grazing
- Farmers can increase their income by cultivating fodder crops apart from food or cash crops
Environmental Benefits of Green Fodder Cultivation
Green fodder cultivation when coupled with state-of-the-technology is expected to benefit the environment in the following ways;
- No fuel cost
- No need for continuous weed removal
- No damage from insects
- High-end technology ensures minimal water consumption
