In a bid to offset fodder shortage in the coming months and sustain milk production, the Department of Animal Husbandry (DAH) has encouraged farmers to take up green fodder cultivation on about 1,000 acres of rain-fed areas in two divisions in the district.
As nutritive value of fodder is significant for productivity of livestock and increased milk production, the department has distributed free seeds and motivated farmers to cultivate hybrid sorghum redchari and protein-rich cowpea under State Fodder Development Scheme (SFDS).
Farmers in Paramakudi division have cultivated hybrid sorghum and cowpea on 700 acres and their counterparts in Ramanathapuram division have raised the fodders on 300 acres in 3:1 ratio, P. Ramasamy, Joint Director, DAH, said.
The 65-day fodders, meant for single cutting, were 20 to 30 days old now and they could be cut in another 35 days, he said, adding 1,000-odd farmers were engaged in the cultivation and they were expected to produce about 10,000 tonnes of green fodder.
They were encouraged to cultivate cowpea as it had 25 per cent protein and helped them sustain milk production, he said.
Besides, the farmers in the two divisions had taken up cultivation of Co FS 29 sorghum variety and protein-rich desmanthus on about 150 acres of irrigated lands. The two varieties could be grown for three years with less water. The farmers could cut the fodder for at least four times a year, he added.
M. Balachandran, Deputy Director, said that the district’s cattle population was estimated at around 85,000. After the distribution of 600 free milch animals to the farmers in the district, the daily milk production had touched 10,000 litres, he said.
He said that the department could not immediately address the menace of wild bulls destroying paddy and other crops in Sayalkudi area for want of gun and tranquilisers.
Bulls offered to a local Amman temple destroyed the crops during nights.
Source : The Hindu