Feed and Fodder Requirements of Dairy Farm | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Optional for UPSC PDF Download

 Feed and Fodder Management in Dairy Farms

• Major Expenses in a Dairy Farm:
  • Feed and fodder are the primary costs for a dairy farm.
• Profitability through Cost-Efficiency:
  • To ensure profitability, obtaining feed and fodder at the lowest cost is crucial.
  • Maximizing in-house production is key.
• Land Planning for Fodder:
  • Sufficient land must be set aside for fodder cultivation and grazing, even during the planning stage.
• Mixed Herd for Efficiency:
  • It's preferable to keep both cows and buffaloes in a dairy instead of restricting to one.
  • Buffaloes can consume coarse fodder, optimizing fodder use.
• Diverse Feed and Fodder Requirements:
  • Needs vary for milking cows, dry animals, young stock, and breeding bulls.
  • Milch animals' requirements depend on milk production, while dry animals' needs relate to pregnancy stages.
• Approximate Fodder Requirements for 60 Cows and 80 Buffaloes:
  • Daily: 6 tonnes of roughage (1.2 tonnes for cows, 3.2 tonnes for buffaloes, 1.5 tonnes for young stock).
• Equal Consideration for Dry and Milking Animals:
  • One-third of the animals are dry, and the rest are milking, but roughage needs don't vary significantly.
  • Dry animals have different pregnancy stages.
• Fodder Planning for Young Stock:
  • Roughage requirements for young stock depend on their age.

Fodder and Feed Planning in a Dairy Farm

• Yearly Fodder Requirement:
  • A dairy farm needs 2200 tons of fodder annually (365 days x 6 tonnes daily).
  • Average land intensity yields 15 tonnes per acre.
• Land Requirement Calculation:
  • With average intensity, 146 acres of land are needed.
  • Higher intensity (200-220%) reduces the required land to 75 acres.
• Optimal Land for 140 Animals:
  • With 150 acres, fodder needs are met for 140 animals (60 cows, 80 buffaloes, and young stock).
• Diverse Feed Requirements:
  • Daily feed ratios vary for different animals (milking, pregnant, dry, young stock).
  • The quantity for milch animals depends on their milk production.
• Varied Rations for Different Animals:
  • Production ration differs based on the animal type, while maintenance ration may be similar for all cows.
  • Young stock's ration varies with age and growth rate.
• Nutritional Needs:
  • Vitamin and mineral requirements must be provided for all animals.
  • Breeding bulls have specific feed needs, as detailed earlier.
• Calculation Based on Animal Types:
  • Feed quantity is calculated based on the number and type of animals (cattle, buffaloes, milch, dry, young stock, breeding bulls).
• Use of Nutritional Tables:
  • Tables with nutritional information help determine the quantity of concentrate mixture, grains, and feeds needed for each class of animals.