Intensive cultivation of Sesbania grandiflora for sustainable dairy farming - an action oriented approach

Development and growth of huge livestock population in India are dependent on availability of feed and fodder. But there exists a large gap between requirement and actual availability of feed and fodder at national level including green fodder. The green fodder shortage can be partially met out by intensively cultivating green fodder trees. An action oriented participatory approach was initiated in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka to promote intensive cultivation of Sesbania grandiflora, a perennial fodder tree. The dairy farmers were sensitized and mobilized to take up intensive cultivation of Sesbania grandiflora. On-farm demonstrations were conducted to demonstrate effect of supplementation of Sesbania forage on milk yield in crossbred lactating cows. Constraints in adopting intensive cultivation of Sesbania grandiflora were identified through personal interview using structured interview schedule. The participant farmers cultivated sesbania intensively and the fodder was supplemented @ 5 kg/day/ cow. The milk yield increased significantly by 11.97% in cows supplemented with Sesbania forage. Lack of assured irrigation and electricity was ranked as the major constraint. Thus, small holder dairy farmers can successfully cultivate Sesbania grandiflora (100-200 trees) intensively in 1 or 2 guntas of fallow land with minimal or no inputs and green fodder scarcity can be minimized to some extent. The unit cost of milk production can be reduced by supplementing the Sesbania fodder to cross bred milking cows and thereby sustain dairy farming.