Livestock Fodder, Industry Sector AGRICULTURE

Livestock Fodder

Fodder covers a multitude of plant life but refer to food cultivated to feed animals. In simple terms if it’s a plant that animals will eat and its grown by a farmer then it’s a fodder crop. The UN lists 17 primary crops including  Pumpkins, Turnips, Beet, Swede, Carrots and Legumes . Pastureland on which grass is grown is also included.

PASTURE FODDER

Prior to mechanized farming grazing on open pastureland was the primary source of food for cattle and sheep and offers the best and most natural living conditions for animals.  In addition to grazing, pastureland can be used to produce Hay and Silage for winter feed.

LEGUMES

A group of plants which can fix atmospheric nitrogen due to bacteria called rhizobia found in root nodules of the plant, this creates a comparatively high protein content and excellent feed. Forage legumes include clover vetch and alfalfa (see below). Grain legumes are grown for their seed (also called pulses) and include lentils beans and peas.

Alfalfa (Lucerne)

Grows up to 1metre high but with a root up to 4 metres deep giving good drought resistance and resembles clover. It lives for 5 to 12 years and has root nodules that fix nitrogen producing a high protein feed. If cut rather than grazed  3 or 4 cuts are made per year giving annual yields of around 4 tons per acre.

ROOT CROPS

Pumpkins, Turnips Swede, and Carrots are amongst the root crops that at one time would have been grown as fodder and provided a crop that was available in winter months when pasture growth was poor. The increased use of silage (see below) has changed farming to the extent that root crops have lost significance.

STORAGE OF FODDER CROPS

At certain times of the year (drought and winter) fresh pasture fodder is not available and various methods are used to store fodder.

Hay Most commonly made from rye grass it is cut, dried in the sun and baled for storage.

Silage Silage is high moisture forage stored damp in silos or under plastic and allowed to ferment.It can include grain such as maize and peas but it is the whole plant that is used.

Crops are gathered when the moisture content is high (between 55 and 70%) and fermentation caused by microorganisms starts within 48 hours and lasts for two weeks. The process converts sugars to acids. Material is kept compressed and air is kept out to prevent spoilage.

Pellet Feed Industrial processing of fodder is a major industry and provides farmers with a convenient source of food and less heavy handling and storage problems. Fodder crops that were traditionally held on the farm for winter feed are now sold to feed mills to be bought back in pelleted form.

ZERO-GRAZING

Is a system of intensive farming that produces high yields of products such as milk from a small amount of land. Fodder is cut daily and brought to the animals who never leave the shed. Animal waste is collected and returned to the land to fertilise the crop.

The system requires more labour and can be used when land is scarce. It has the advantage of reducing crop damage because animals do not walk on it, and reduces the problems pests such as ticks and intestinal worms.

Crazy Facts Corner

• A cow eats between 75 and 100lbs of food a day and drinks 35 to 40 gallons of water. Now you can understand why dairy farmers wear boots!

Links

http://www.unece.org/stats/econ/iwg/handbook.fodder.html
http://www.iirr/saem/page204-207.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fodder

Researched by DynamicDave