Presentation on

Role of Improved Agronomic Practices & Farm Mechanization for High Quality Fodder Production

Presented by:A. K. VermaPG : Major: Agronomy (Forage Production) Minor: Animal NutritionFrom: NDRI, Karnal

Introduction

Agronomic Practices & Roll of Mechanization

Timely Sowing of crops:

a. It results to establishment of vigorous crops by utilizing proper environmental condition required & vigorous crop will suppress the weed infestation also.

b. Timely sowing of Chinese cabbage (Last week of Sep. to first week of Oct), Sorghum (after 15th May) and Pearl millet (after 15th May) helps in reduction of glucosinolate, HCN and oxalic acids respectively.

c. Timely sowing of crops enhance their nutritional parameter by proper synthesis.

Selection of crops: Crop should be palatable highly digestible, rich in major nutrients (CP, EE, CF & Minerals etc.) & suitable for particular environments.

Selection of cultivar: Like wise selection of variety of particular crop is also important. Mostly newly developed fodder varieties are the improvement over older one. i.e. Napier var. Co-4 is better than CO-1, CO- 2 & Co -3, NDO – 1, UPO -212 is better the older var. KENT.

Land preparation:

a. Land preparation should be done in the manner which can restrict weed growth, which can be done by one deep ploughing with disc plough followed by 2 – 3 harrowing.

b. Instead of harrow rotavator can be used will save the time money etc.

c. Due to farm mechanization all the operation can be performed which will leads to proper utilization of space, time & environment most suitable for a particular crop.

Method of sowing: Line sowing of crop should be done which will help in intercultural operation and other agronomic activities. It also help in the sowing of crop as per crop geometry.

Seed rate: Seed rate should be decided on the basis of crop geometry (plat population), taste weight of seed, germination percent & failure of germinated seed in field condition instead of going the seed rate crop wise which varies variety to variety.

Method & scheduling of irrigation:

a. Use of sprinkler and drip system of irrigation instead of flood irrigation will help to maintain proper moisture level & mid time correction of nutrient deficiency by ferti-gation.

b. Proper moisture level will prompt utilization of natural as well as supplied resources in judicial manner.

c. It will also helps in the cover up of maximum area with minimum in more frequency with less quantity of water, which helps to the crop to mitigate water & heat stress and formation of poisonous compound i.e. HCN

Weed Management practices: With the help of farm mechanization pre-emergence herbicide can be used uniformly with in time. Which will reduce the competition of crops for resources with weed plants. Some of weed plant are poisonous wild Chenopudium and Black Nightshade, some of weed affect the palatability due their structure and smell i.e. Canada thistle & Ageratum conyzoides.Intercultural operations: If we have line sowing of crop with the help of seed drill then we can go for mechanized intercultural practices for weed control and improvement in aeration which will affect the quality and yield of the crop

7. Method & schedule of fertilization:

a. With help of mechanization it possible to go for number of split application.

b. Slight reduction in nitrogen fertilizer and increase number of split application in summer crops will help in efficient utilization of nutrient and reduction in HCN & Oxalic acid formation in Sorghum & Bajra.

c. Increase in dose phosphorus or fertigation of NPK & S liquid in liquid form will help in reduction of HCN, Glucosinolate & Oxalic acid formation in Sorghum, Fodder Mustard & Bajra respectively.

7. Method & schedule of Harvesting

a. Harvesting should be done at proper stage i.e. First cut at 50 – 60 days after sowing (D. A. S.) and subsequent cut after 25 – 30 D. A. S. in case of berseem & Lucerne like wise first cut at 55 – 60 D. A. S. and subsequent cutting 30 -35 D. A. S. In case of sorghum & Pearl millet etc.

b. Mechanization helps in timely harvesting, conservation & feeding

c. Mechanization helps in conditioning of thick stem with less lignified area & more pith

d. Finally it helps the efficacy of utilization of land, Improve the digestibility, and make year round availability of quality fodder

Conservation of fodder:

a. With the help of machinery i.e. Mower conditioner, Forage harvester, Bailer & tractor we can go for timely hay & silage making.

b. Mower conditioner perform harvesting & conditioning of crop together, conditioning of crop will help in early drying for hay & increase surface area of chaffed for microbial action the crop

Method & schedule of feeding:

a. For avoiding selectivity of animal we should go for Total Mixed Ration (TMR). Which can be prepared by using TMR-Wagon

b. TMR- Wagon also helps in timely supply of feeding any new intervention in scheduling of feeding.

c. Using TMR, feeds utilization efficiency will be improved.

d. Chances of blot/tympni & rumen pH variation can be avoided.

Conclusion: For achieving our goal (Production of quality fodder & feeding), dependency on labour will be minimized & all the

operations involve in fodder production, conservation & feeding will be easily achievable by using farm mechanization with in time in efficient manner.

Cost of production & feeding with quality fodder can be reduced up to 30 – 35 %.

Annexure - I Fodder Farm Machineries for MechanizationPloughing Tools Pneumatic Seed-drill Precision Seed-drill Sprinkler System

Reel System Rain gun Slurry Spreader Sprayer Flail Harvester

Mower ConditionerDrum Mower Silage

CutterSprint Trolley

TMR WagonBailerBhusa MakerUniversalHarvester

Two Row Harvester