Sheep - AgRIS

egions are ardu (Ailanthus excelsa), arjun (Terminalia aryuna), babool (Acaciaarabica
arabica), dhamani (Grewia elastica) kankera (Gymnosporia), kachnar (Baukinia variegata),
khark (Celtis australis), khejri (Prosopis cineraria), kheri (Acaciasenegal), subabul (Leucaena
latisiliqua), neem (Azadirachata indica), semal (Bombex malabaricum) siras (Albizia lebbek),
timla (Ficus rozburghi) zinja (Baukinia recemosa). At present their number in the range and
common grazing lands is very small. Since they are being lopped very severely every year, they
are not able to provide sufficient fodder. Hence a scientific method of lopping should be
practised for getting maximum fodder from a tree. Through lopping studies it has been
observed that Ardu trees should be lopped at six month interval whereas in Khejri the young
trees should be lopped once a year and the full grown trees twice a year. In neem the reverse
trend of khejri can be adopted. The trees not only provide green fodder during scarcity period
but also check the soil erosion and improve soil texture. They also provide shade to the grazing
sheep during summer. The fodder trees should be planted in the grazing lands in large numbers.
In a well established and properly managed pasture 100 fodder trees and 100 bushes per hectare
maintaining row to row and plant to plant distance of each species 10m and 10m, respectively
should be planted aficer the first monsoon rains. This system has the advantage of providing
three-tier feed resources. During wet months, the sheep can graze the green grass and during
dry season they can look upto the green foliage of shrubs and trees. An additional yield of 18 to
20 q of good quality dry fodder per hecatre per year can be obtained from these 100 full grown
trees by lopping them twice a year. The lopping can be done in November to December and
again in MayJune and in such a manner that trees have no lopping injury. As good grazing on
the surface is available during October-November, the leaves may be lopped during scarcity
periods of January to March. The lopping available in May-June may be fed fresh. Ardu
(Ailanthus excelsa) leaves are best among all the fodder trees from palatability and nutritive
value point of view. It is a very fast growing tree and the leaves can serve as a maintance and
production ration for sheep as a sole feed. The pods of many trees specially babool (Acacia
arabica) and khejri (Prosopis cineraria) are very nutritious and palatable, and serve as a good
source of feed for flushing ewes.
Agroforestry
It is a sustainable land management system in which forestry trees are grown alongwith
arable crops. The trees may be of timber, fuel wood or fodder use. In order to get the quality
fodder leaves in multi-purpose compatable fodder producing should be grown with arable
crops. Some prominient fodder trees like khejri (Prosopis cineraria), Ardu (Ailanthus excelsa)
and Babul (Acacia nilonca) do not cause significant yield reduction of companion crops like
cowpea, guar and bajra. Hence, by growing these fodder trees in agroforestry system, additional
quality dry fodder yields of 20q/ha can be obtained from 100 trees.
Introduction of fodder crops in crops rotation and mixed farming
The fodder crops should be included in the grain or commercial crop rotation programme.
The practice of keeping the lands fallow for wheat, paddy, gram etc. should be discontinued
and fodder crops like sorghum, pearlmillet, cowpea and clusterbean should be introduced in
kharif in the rotation. The fodder crops should also be sown with grain or commercial crops in
such a way that they do not affect the production of grains. Alongwith sorghum and pearlmillet,
the legumes like cowpea, dolichos, clusterbean, clitoria, black-gram and green gram, rnay very
easily be grown as companion crops. The legumes will not only provide nutritious fodder for
sheep without adversely affecting the grain yield but will also improve the soil fertility through
nitrogen fixation which in turn will be available to the grain crop. It is essential that the
programme offeeds and fodder development should provide for the production and
multiplication of seeds and planting materials of recommended fodder crops.
As the pasture lands are shrinking day by day and an average farmer does not have more
than 5 acres of land the only method left is growing nutritious fodder for livestock. By adopting
any of the following crop rotations sheep farmers can get green nutritious fodder throughout the
year.
Napier-Lucerne
Napier x Bajra cross No. 21 and Lucerne can be sown in strips. This will give fodder
throughout the year.
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