scholarly journals Biomass Quantity and Quality from Different Year-Round Cereal–Legume Cropping Systems as Forage or Fodder for Livestock

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9414
Author(s):  
Konapura Nagaraja Manoj ◽  
Bommalapura Gundanaik Shekara ◽  
Shankarappa Sridhara ◽  
Prakash Kumar Jha ◽  
P. V. Vara Prasad

The quantity and quality of forage and fodder crops is the major drawback of the livestock sector in the country. There is a need to bridge the gap between the supply and demand of fodder through the adoption of specific sustainable fodder production strategies. The field experiments were conducted during kharif (rainy, June–October), rabi (post-rainy, October–February), and summer (March–May) seasons of 2018–19 and 2019–20 to identify a sustainable fodder cropping system module in randomized complete block design with fifteen fodder cropping systems in three replications. The main objective of this research was to identify the most productive cereal–legume cropping system, both in terms of quantity and quality of biomass, to reduce the gap between supply and demand of quality livestock feed around the year. Among cropping systems, Bajra–Napier hybrid intercropped with lucerne, cowpea, and sesbania recorded significantly higher green fodder (163.6, 155.2, and 144.0 t/ha/year, respectively) and dry matter yields (32.1, 30.8, and 31.3 t/ha/year, respectively). Similarly, the same perennial systems also recorded higher quality yield and ash content. However, higher crude protein content was noticed in monocrop legumes, with the highest in sesbania (22.32%), while higher ether extractable fat was found in monocrop sesbania (3.78%). The monocrop oats recorded higher non-fiber carbohydrates (36.90%) while a monocrop of pearl millet recorded higher total carbohydrates (80.75%), however they were on par with other monocrop cereal cropping systems. Cultivation of legumes as a monocrop, and their inclusion as an intercrop with cereals resulted in lower fiber fractions and improved crude protein in intercropping systems. Furthermore, this improved the dry matter intake and digestibility of fodder. With higher sustainable yield index values and land-use efficiency, perennial intercropping systems were also found to be sustainable. Thus, cultivation of the Bajra–Napier hybrid with either lucerne, cowpea, or sesbania as an intercrop will help livestock farmers to achieve higher productivity in terms of quantity and quality, and forms a viable option for overcoming livestock feed scarcity.

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 2517
Author(s):  
Armindo Neivo Kichel ◽  
Luis Carlos Ferreira de Souza ◽  
Roberto Giolo de Almeida ◽  
José Alexandre Agiova da Costa

This study aimed to assess productivity and nutritional value of the tropical grasses Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã, Xaraés, and Marandu, Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça, and B. ruziziensis cv. Kennedy in the interseason of an integrated crop-livestock (ICL) system since alternatives are needed for forage production for animal grazing in Autumn and Winter. The experimental design was a randomized block design in a split-split plot scheme with four replications. The treatments of plots consisted of five grasses, subplots consisted of three cropping systems (monoculture, intercropping with corn and unsuppressed grass, and intercropped with corn and suppressed grass), and sub-subplots consisted of four cutting intervals of grasses (50, 90, 125, and 195 days after emergence - DAE). The experiment was carried out from February to September 2014. Dry matter (DM) productivity, obtained at 195 DAE for the three cropping systems (monoculture grass, unsuppressed and suppressed grass in intercropping), were 18.45, 7.15, and 3.05 t ha?1, respectively, and average crude protein contents of leaf blades of grasses decreased linearly between the cutting intervals of 50 to 195 DAE from 19.95 to 9.70%, respectively. Under integrated systems, the studied grasses showed better yields and nutritional quality when compared to traditional grazing systems. Panicum maximum cv. Mombaça and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Xaraés and Piatã had the highest leaf and crude protein yields when compared to Brachiaria ruziziensis cv. Kennedy and Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu. In terms of nutritional value, Brachiaria ruziziensis cv. Kennedy was superior to Mombaça and Xaraés grasses but had lower total dry matter yield. Finally, Xaraés, Piatã and Mombaça grasses are recommended choices ICL systems when fodder grass production is the goal.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Hajar Hajar ◽  
Luki Abdullah ◽  
Didid Diapari

Sorghum feed is a type of cereal plant that has potential use as animal feed or forage. The reseach aim was to evaluate production and nutritional quality of some sorghum hybrid varieties, and determined the optimal spacing of sorghum plants. This research was arranged in a factorial randomized block design with 6 treatments and four replications. The first factor was the varieties of 12FS9006, 13FB7001 and 12S49001. The second factor was space of 25x25cm and 25x40 cm. The variables were fresh and dry matter of biomass production and also nutrient (ash, crude fiber, crude protein, Neutral Detergen Fiber and Acid Detergen Fiber. Sorghum varieties had significant effect (p<0.05) to fresh biomass production, dry matter biomass production, ash, crude ϐiber and crude protein). The space had a significant effect (p<0.05) to the dry matter production of biomass and crude fiber. The average variety of fresh biomass plant production was (18.90 tons ha-1), dry matter production of biomass was (4 ton ha-1), ash (5.51%), crude ϐiber (30.90%) and crude protein (8.45%). The average dry matter production was 4.34 tons ha-1 and crude ϐiber 29.96%. It can be concluded that the highest production and the best nutrient quality of sorghum hybrid was obtained at the sorghum variety of 12S49001, the distance of 25x25cm was the best plant space for hybrid sorghum production


Author(s):  
Magdaléna Lacko-Bartošová ◽  
Lucia Lacko-Bartošová ◽  
Petr Konvalina

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of cropping systems [integrated (INT) vs. organic (ORG)] and plant nutrition sources (synthetic in INT vs. approved organic in ORG) on analytical and rheological quality traits of winter wheat and its productivity. The results after 16 years of field experiments were evaluated. Pre-crop for winter wheat was N-fixing crop. Grain yield of winter wheat (6.8 t ha<sup>–1</sup> in INT, 6.5 t ha<sup>–1</sup> in ORG) did not differ significantly, while plant nutrition sources had an equal and positive effect on the yield. Crude protein quantity was higher in INT system by about 0.2%. The farinograph dough development time and dough stability were the longest for ORG and fertilised treatments. Mixolab quality indicators showed a clear distinction between ORG and INT systems and fertilisation in the protein and starch characteristics of the grain. The ORG reported longer Mixolab stability of the dough, mainly on fertilised treatment (8.8 min). Starch characteristics – torque C4 (amylolytic activity) and torque C5 (starch retrogradation) were higher for ORG system. Torque C2, protein weakening, was not affected by the cropping system. ORG system has the potential to achieve consistent, high-quality yields with significantly lower reliance on external inputs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-255
Author(s):  
A.R. Ramos ◽  
A. Zampar ◽  
A.W.L. Silva

ABSTRACT The goal of this work was to assess the biomass production and bromatological quality of ryegrass genotypes in ten municipalities of the Western and North Plateau regions of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The cultivars La Estanzuela 284 (diploid), Bar HQ, Barjumbo, INIA Escorpio, Potro, and Winter Star (tetraploids) were compared, distributed in a randomized block design, in which the municipalities constituted the blocks, with three replications. The cuts were performed when the plants reached 30cm, leaving a residue of 10cm. In three cuts, the cultivars Barjumbo and Bar HQ were the most productive, exceeding 4.6 t ha-1 of dry matter. In the places in which five cuts were performed, the production of these cultivars exceeded 7.3 t ha-1, placing them again ahead of the others. The average crude protein content in three cuts was greater than 25% in all cultivars. There was no difference between the genotypes in the content of neutral detergent fiber and total digestible nutrients. There was a significant correlation between quantitative and qualitative productive variables. The assessed cultivars represented good options for composing short-term or long-term winter-feeding systems, adjusted to the integration with annual crops or warm-season pastures.


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Marimuthu ◽  
P Subbian

Field experiments were conducted at the farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India during 2007 and 2008 to assess the weed population, dry matter production, weed smothering efficiency and yield of seed cotton in a cotton based cropping system with conjunctive use of NPK and bioinoculants. Cotton intercropped with Sesbania along with application of Azospirillum and Pseudomonas recorded the lowest weed population and weed dry matter production. The maximum weed suppression of 54.5 and 44% was observed in cotton + Sesbania system as compared to pure crop of cotton during both the years. The maximum cotton equivalent yield of 2052 and 1895 kg ha-1 was recorded in cotton + onion system which was at par with cotton + Sesbania system with cotton equivalent yield of 2010 and 1894 kg ha-1 during 2007 and 2008, respectively. Combined application of 100 % recommended dose of NPK and bioinoculants recorded maximum cotton equivalent yield of 2460 and 2190 kg ha-1 during 2007 and 2008, respectively. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sja.v11i1.18371 SAARC J. Agri., 11(1): 7-22 (2013)


2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivonete Alves Bakke ◽  
Olaf Andreas Bakke ◽  
Alberício Pereira Andrade ◽  
Ignacio Hernan Salcedo

The objective of this work was to compare forage production and quality of thorny and thornless "jurema-preta" (Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poiret) in a dense planted stand, subjected to annual pruning of fine branches, in Patos, PB, Brazil. The experiment consisted of two treatments (thornless and thorny "jurema-preta") in a complete randomized block design, with ten replicates of two linear plots subdivided in time. Forage mass and chemical composition of fine branches and the basal diameter of plants were measured during five years. Pruning decreased (p<0.05) increments in basal diameter and forage production. Annual dry matter yields reached 4,108 and 5,833 kg ha-1, respectively, for thornless and thorny plants, and forage quality was similar (p>0.05) for both genotypes. This roughage fodder (minimum NDF and ADF averages were 56±1.1% and 43±1.0%, respectively) had low P and K concentrations. Its average crude protein content was greater than 9.9±0.5%, which exceeds the minimum necessary for animal maintenance. Both "jurema-preta" genotypes tolerated pruning of fine branches and contributed with a significant amount of roughage fodder for animal maintenance in the dry season.


1992 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. S. Baron ◽  
A. C. Dick ◽  
H. G. Najda ◽  
D. F. Salmon

Forage quality of small grain cereals harvested after flowering affects animal performance adversely. The feasibility of using mixtures (MX) of spring-planted winter cereals with spring cereals to improve forage quality at the late milk stage of the spring cereal was investigated at Lacombe and Brooks, Alberta during 1987 and 1988. Spring monocrops (SMC) of oats (Avena sativa L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and winter monocrops (WMC) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and winter triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) were compared with binary MX of spring and winter combinations using a randomized complete block design. Dry matter (DM) yield and concentrations of in vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM), crude protein, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and lignin were determined. Dry matter yields of MX as a percent of their SMC counterparts ranged from 84 to 99% at Lacombe and from 82 to 113% at Brooks; no crop combination was consistently superior. For forage quality the cropping systems ranked WMC > MX > SMC. The effects of winter wheat and triticale on forage quality in the MX were similar. However, MX containing barley generally had higher IVDOM and lower NDF, ADF and lignin concentrations than those containing oats. At Lacombe and Brooks, IVDOM and crude protein concentrations of the MX were increased by 6.5 and 7.2% and by 21.2 and 23.6%, respectively, while NDF, ADF and lignin concentrations were decreased by 6.7 and 6.5%, 9.9 and 7.5%, 10.9 and 20.4%, respectively, compared with the SMC group. While the extent of compensation is not known the improved forage quality of the MX should partially offset the slight reduction in DM yield compared to the SMC.Key words: Forage potential, forage quality, mixtures, spring cereals, winter cereals


Author(s):  
Bellamkonda Murali ◽  
R. Susheela ◽  
M. Shanti ◽  
K. Shailaja ◽  
T. Shashikala

Background: Long-term and stable livestock productivity could be possible only through a year-round supply of quality green fodder and it is essential for the sustainability of dairy farms. The year-round supply of quality green fodder is challenging to livestock farmers; however, it is possible by adopting perennial grass-legume intercropping systems. Methods: A field experiment with eight treatments consisting of two perennial grasses (Napier- bajra hybrid grass and guinea grass) alone or in combination with three fodder legumes (Lucerne, Hedge Lucerne and Sesbania) was conducted for 3 years (2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19) in a sandy loam soil at the Agricultural Research Institute, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Hyderabad. The treatments were replicated thrice in a randomized block design. Perennial grasses were raised in paired row method (row to row 120cm and plant to plant 60 cm. The legume intercrops were grown with their respective spacing within 120 cm row. Sesbania inter crop was allowed to grow for 6 months and later trimmed to a height of 1 meter in the establishment year. Growth parameters were measured only for grasses at each harvesting and green fodder, dry matter and crude protein yields were recorded for both grasses and legumes at each cut and accumulated annually (total 6 cuts/year) for statistical analyses. Result: The results indicated that among the grasses, Napier-bajra hybrid recorded significantly higher green fodder, dry matter and crude protein yields; in case of leguminous inter crops, Sesbania recorded highest green fodder, dry matter and crude protein yields followed by Hedge Lucerne. About total productivity of the system, Napier-bajra hybrid + Sesbania (2:1) cropping system recorded highest green fodder, dry matter and crude protein yields. Highest net returns and B:C ratio was also noted with Napier bajra hybrid +Sesbania (2:1) cropping system and proved to be the best perennial fodder system for year-round supply fodder to the livestock.


2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Júnior Melo Damian ◽  
Clovis Orlando Da Ros ◽  
Rodrigo Ferreira da Silva ◽  
Ivanir José Coldebella ◽  
Diego Henrique Simon

ABSTRACT Maize and sorghum are the main raw materials in the production of silage for animal feed, with mineral fertilization being worthy of note when the goal is to increase gains in the amount and quality of the forage. This study aimed at evaluating the contribution of N, P or K doses to the dry matter and crude protein yield in maize and sorghum grown for silage. The experiments were carried out in a randomized block design, with four replications, during five successive crops of maize (three summer seasons) and sorghum (two off-season). Five doses of N (0 kg ha-1, 50 kg ha-1, 100 kg ha-1, 150 kg ha-1 and 200 kg ha-1), five doses of P2O5 (0 kg ha-1, 40 kg ha-1, 80 kg ha-1, 120 kg ha-1 and 160 kg ha-1) and five doses of K2O (0 kg ha-1, 30 kg ha-1, 60 kg ha-1, 90 kg ha-1 and 120 kg ha-1) were applied to each crop in the same experimental area. The N doses contributed to an increase in the crude protein yield in the five successive crops of maize and sorghum, together with an increase in dry matter and/or protein concentration. Crude protein increased 59.5-312.9 % for both crops. The soils used for the succession cropping system of maize and sorghum for silage had "very high" levels of P and K. Therefore, the P fertilization had no effect on the dry matter or crude protein yield in the first year of cultivation, similarly to the K fertilization during the five successive crop seasons.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
P. O. Mongare ◽  
J. R. Okalebo ◽  
C. O. Othieno ◽  
J. O. Ochuodho ◽  
R. Njoroge ◽  
...  

Inherent low soil fertility in the highly weathered and degraded soils largely accounts for low and unsustainable crop yields in most African countries (Okalebo et al., 2006; Sanchez et. al., 1997). Productivity of maize and soybeans in Kenya, particularly in the western region is generally low. The high costs of inorganic fertilizers and the possibility of decreasing soil productivity in due to soil mining and environmental pollution demands a reassement of their use, vis-a-vis, other alternative technologies. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of selected cropping systems, N fertilizer and manure on maize and soy bean crop yields in western Kenya (Bungoma, Vihiga, and Teso). The experiment was a split plot design arranged and laid down in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Cropping systems (mono cropping, MBILI and conventional) were the main factor while fertility interventions (FYM and CAN) were the treatments. The cropping systems consisted of conventional (Maize and soy beans were planted as intercrop in 37.5 cm alternating rows), MBILI (Managing Beneficial Interactions in Legume Intercrops), maize and soybean monocrop. Five fertilizer treatments were used: calcium ammonium nitrate and farm yard manure, both applied at the rate of 30 kg N ha-1 and 75 kg N ha-1, respectively, and absolute control that had no added treatment. Field experiments were planted during two cropping seasons of short rains season (August to December 2011) and one long rains season (April to August 2012) Generally, maize yields were found to be significantly higher in both the mono cropping system (mean yield: 2.00 t/ha) and MBILI system (mean yield: 1.77 t/ha) compared to conventional farming (mean yield: 1.27 t/ha). Soybean yields were found, overall, to be significantly higher in the mono cropping system (mean: 1.00t/ha) compared to both MBILI (mean: 0.75 t ha-1) and conventional system (mean: 0.59 t ha-1). For both maize and soy bean grain, application of CAN75N and planting with FYM75N were found to significantly increase yields, compared to either top dressing with CAN30N or planting with FYM30N. CAN generally produced higher yields with monocrop system whereas MBILI system did better when FYM is used, suggesting that an optimal system could consist of MBILI with organic fertilizers. The mean Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) values were always greater than 1.0 for intercropping and I.0 for mono cropping system. Manure was found to produce similar yields as those in fertilizer applications. This study recommends MBILI system and organic manure as a beneficial way of growing maize and soy beans


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