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Background: In the present investigation bioprocess for the formulation of liquid microbial inoculants with escalated shelf stability for forage cowpea has been standardized. The forage cowpea can make a relevant contribution towards livestock fodder and supply nitrogen to the soil. Methods: In the present study viability of Burkholderia seminalis, Burkholderia sp. and Bradyrhizobium sp. was evaluated for one month in a basal medium amended with different concentration of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (0.5%, 1%, 2% and 3%), trehalose (5 mM, 10 mM, 15 mM and 20 mM), polyethylene glycol (PEG) (0.5%, 1%, 2% and 3%) and glycerol (1%, 3%, 5% and 7%). Result: At 30th day, maximum growth and survival was observed in the basal medium amended with 5 mM trehalose for all the three test cultures. Further, Liquid microbial inoculants of Burkholderia seminalis, Burkholderia sp. and Bradyrhizobium sp. were prepared using trehalose (5 mM) in basal medium and viability retention was studied up to 180 days of storage and compared to charcoal carrier based formulations at room temperature. Furthermore, Scanning electron microscopy provided insight of root colonization of forage cowpea by liquid microbial inoculants under gnotobiotic conditions, maximum root surface colonization was observed by liquid microbial inoculants of Burkholderia seminalis followed by Burkholderia sp. and Bradyrhizobium sp. Therefore, the optimized bioprocess can be used for the formulation of liquid microbial inoculants with enhanced shelf stability and could play a pertinent role in integrated nutrient management of forage cowpea for enhanced productivity and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is one of the major fodder crops. Sufficient nitrogen (N) supply is essential for a good yield and forage quality. However, N excess may cause nitrate accumulation in the plant, which can be toxic to ruminant livestock animals. Silicon (Si) application reportedly enhances the utilization of N and reduces the nitrate content in plants. However, our knowledge regarding the interaction between Si and N in sorghum is still limited. Hence, this study investigated the possibility of nitrate content reduction by Si application in sorghum. We analyzed the nitrate content in the shoots of 6-week-old hydroponically grown plants with or without Si application. The analysis was also conducted with plants at the heading stage (13-week-old) receiving higher N supply. The dry matter production was not affected by Si application in either experiment. The assimilated N was slightly decreased by Si application in 6-week-old plants, but not in plants at the heading stage. The nitrate content was reduced by Si application in both experiments. The effect of Si application on the N metabolism was confirmed by a modulated expression of the genes for N transport and assimilation, in which an upregulation of the cytokinin signal transduction pathway might be involved. The in vitro digestibility was not significantly affected by Si application. These findings suggest that Si application benefits fodder sorghum production by reducing nitrate content without compromising the biomass yield and quality, although further study with plants grown under more practical conditions is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the dental microwear analysis technique has been proven as an approach for contributing to animal husbandry research. It has been tested with good results on providing information related to the animal feeding strategies of bygone agri-livestock societies. In this paper, we present the first dental microwear study from the northeast of Tarraconensis province –the administrative region covering the northeastern Iberian Peninsula in Late Antiquity (4th – 8th c. CE) – in order to provide first order information about the different systems that may have been used to nourish sheep flocks. A total of 146 lower sheep (Ovis aries) molars from five archaeological sites were analysed. The results allow us to propose that different livestock practices were conducted, and various natural resources were exploited by the region’s inhabitants during Late Antiquity, with fodder being particularly important as a feeding system to nourish the flock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture, especially cereals, is important in sustaining economies and food security globally. This study delves into the Moroccan agricultural landscape, specifically focusing on predicting livestock feed sales to assist cereal company producers in optimizing production, streamlining supply chain operations, and enhancing customer satisfaction. Data collected from various markets across Morocco, including sales dates and locations, was combined with climate data and analyzed using advanced machine learning techniques, particularly the gradient boosting regression (GBR) algorithm, which achieved high accuracy with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.0203 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0281. The evaluation of multiple regression models revealed promising results, demonstrating the effectiveness of predictive models in accurately forecasting sales. These findings contribute valuable insights to sales forecasting in the cereal industry by considering weather conditions, production methods, and livestock-related variables, highlighting the importance of leveraging advanced machine learning techniques for optimizing production processes and meeting market demands efficiently in the agribusiness sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Hairy vetch a plant that can be used in different ways, such as fodder, silage, grazing, and green manure and its seeds can be used to feed poultry. Like other legume family plants, vetch can improve and strengthen the soil and fix nitrogen. Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient to virtually all forms of life. Although Fe is the second most abundant metal element in earth's crust its low solubility and high fixation in soil reduce its bioavailability to the plant roots. Fe plays a major role in redox reactions in metabolic processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, and nitrogen assimilation besides being involved in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll and hormones, Drought stress is the most common environmental stress that reduces crop production, and low soil moisture leads to the lack of low consumption elements, especially iron and zinc elements in plants, So With the aim of investigating the effect of foliar application of different sources of iron fertilizer on fodder characteristics of vetch, this research was conducted. Materials and methods: The research was conducted in the agricultural research farm of the Agricultural Jihad Organization in Baneh city in Kurdistan province, at 2021 crop season. The experimental design was implemented as a split plot where different levels of irrigation include no irrigation (rainfed conditions), one irrigation and two irrigations in the main plots, and foliar spraying of different sources of iron fertilizer including, control (spraying solution with water), iron chelate (Fe-EDTA), iron nanochelate (Khizra) and nonchelated source of iron sulfate were placed in sub-plots in three replicates. In the study chlorophyll index, plant height, fresh forage yield, dry fodder yield, Fodder protein percentage, digestibility percentage, ADF, NDF, soluble carbohydrates, crude fiber and ash percent of fodder were measured. Results and discussion: The results showed that the main effect of irrigation and foliar spraying on all investigated traits was significant. Results revealed that the interaction effect of irrigation with iron fertilizer foliar application on chlorophyll index, plant height, digestibility percentage, cell wall NDF, fiber percentage, and ash percentage was a significant, In our study dry conditions, compared to the treatment of two times of irrigation, decreased the wet fodder yield and dry fodder yield and the protein content of fodder by 71.65, 50.16, and 58.58%, respectively, and increased the insoluble fibers in the acidic cell (ADF) by 48.15%. Also, under iron nano chelate treatment of fresh and dry fodder yield, the protein content of the fodder and the content of soluble carbohydrates increased by 84.35, 40.19, 22.90 and 64.08, respectively, and the insoluble fibers in the neutral cell wall (NDF) decreased by 11.60%. Among the interaction treatments of irrigation with the iron foliar application, the highest chlorophyll content (133.45 and 131.04 mg/g fresh weight respectively), plant height (23.81 and 23.43 cm respectively), fodder digestibility percentage (72 42.42 and 77.10% respectively), fiber percentage (37.75 and 40.98 respectively) and fodder ash percentage (19.37 and 21.01% respectively) And the lowest NDF of the cell wall (21.78 and 26.93% respectively) was recorded in the treatment of iron chelate (Fe-EDTA) and iron nano chelate with two times of irrigation. The results of the interaction treatments also showed that iron chelate (Fe-EDTA) under the one-time irrigation treatment could significantly increase the leaf chlorophyll content, the percentage of forage digestibility and the percentage of forage fiber compared to the control treatment. Conclusion: It can be concluded that foliar application of iron fertilizer from sources of iron chelate (Fe-EDTA) and nano-iron chelate (Khizra) with two times of irrigation to achieve the maximum quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the fodder of the cluster flower is recommended, therefore it can be stated that supplementary irrigation and foliar application of iron fertilizer can be a solution to improve the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of fodder in vetch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A field experiment was conducted during rabi 2020 at Research Farm, Agronomy Section, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana. The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design containing seven treatments which were T1 : Absolute control, T2 : 100% RDF, T3 : 100% RDF + Zn (basal), T4 : 100% RDF + Fe (basal), T5 : 100% RDF + 0.5% foliar spray of Zn, T6 : 100% RDF + 0.5% foliar spray of Fe, T7 : 75% RDF + 0.5% foliar spray of Zn + 0.5% foliar spray of Fe and these were replicated thrice. Results of the experiment showed that significantly higher value of growth parameters viz. plant height, no. of leaves, leaf length, leaf width, no. of regenerated stems etc. at all three cuts were recorded in treatment T3 which was statistically at par with treatment T4 . Higher total green fodder as well as dry fodder yield (69.82 and 9.59 t/ha, respectively) was also recorded in treatment T3 among different treatments in all three cuts while minimum total green as well as dry fodder yield found in treatment T1 (49.59 and 6.16 t/ha respectively). In nutshell, application of 100% RDF along with Zn as basal could produce better fodder in terms of growth and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pertanian berkelanjutan merupakan strategi esensial dalam menjaga keseimbangan ekosistem dan keamanan pangan. Penelitian ini mengkaji integrasi antara penggunaan lahan pertanian dan pemeliharaan ternak dalam rangka pengembangan energi terbarukan melalui teknologi biodigester. Potensi produksi biogas dari limbah kotoran ternak dinilai sangat tinggi. Dengan lahan seluas 7.11 hektar yang terbagi menjadi 2.27 hektar untuk ditanami rumput gajah dan 4.48 hektar untuk ditanami jagung mampu mendukung kebutuhan pakan bagi 11 ekor sapi. Dari limbah kotoran yang dihasilkan diperoleh potensi produksi biogas harian sebesar 2.2 m3. Proses digestifikasi anaerob menggunakan biodigester berkapasitas minimal 4.4 m3 berhasil menghasilkan gas metana murni sebanyak 1.45 m3 per hari. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa kesesuaian lahan dan jumlah ternak memiliki peranan signifikan dalam mendukung efektivias biodigester untuk menghasilkan energi terbarukan. Hasil pengujian biogas pada efisiensi kompor menunjukkan nilai efisiensi sebesar 0.8% lebih besar dari pada biogas tanpa dilakukan pemurnian. Penggunaan biodigester juga memberikan kontribusi pada pengurangan emisi gas rumah kaca dan pemberdayaan masyarakat pedesaan melalui teknologi ramah lingkungan.

In local maize agro-ecosystems in Nepal leaf stripping is, historically, practiced as a source of fodder for livestock. However, its effects on hybrid maize have not been studied. The aim of this study was to determine how defoliation below the cob affects the grain and fodder production of hybrid maize and what value the stripped leaves have as fodder for ruminants. Seven hybrid maize cultivars were evaluated for their response to leaf stripping in a randomized complete block design with three replications in Sundarbazar, Lamjung, Nepal. Evaluation of phenological parameters, agronomic factors, cob properties, and grain yield revealed significant cultivar-related differences. While leaf stripping at grain silking stage had little or no impact on yield characteristics, the outcomes confirmed the significance of cultivar selection for the best grain and stover characteristics. Leaf stripping can be a clever way to increase ruminant's feed availability while maintaining grain output. The results of the study support the integration of leaf stripping as a sustainable management technique within crop-livestock systems, particularly in comparable agroecological zones. These findings provide smallholder farmers with useful advice for the use of green leaves as fodder during the grain silking stage of hybrid maize-based agricultural systems.

Silvopasture is a farming practice involving the integration of tree and livestock grazing operations on the same land. Intensive management of these systems enables them to generate short and long-term economic returns from forest products and forage. Silvopastoral systems have been considered to increase efficiency while reducing the environmental burden and extreme ranching/animal husbandry systems. Over the past few years, there has been a rapid accumulation of scientific evidence supporting the role of silvopasture in meeting the fundamental needs of not only humans but also the animal population in the era of climate change. In South Asian countries like India, the silvopastoral system can be a viable option to provide balanced food as well as shelter for the livestock. This review aims to provide a critical and systematic evaluation of the scientific literature about the effect of different silvopasture systems on the fodder production, environment and performance of livestock, especially in the context of South Asia. We conducted a search using PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science and Google Scholar to identify the key literature on the theme. A total of 98 manuscripts underwent a four-step PRISMA appraisal process, resulting in the final selection. This process resulted in a final sample of 56 articles, which were used to explore the potential for long-term improvement in fodder quality through expanding the silvopastoral system. One of the key conclusions is that by improving the social acceptability of these silvopastoral systems and also addressing the challenges, their economic and environmental sustainability can be further enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China produces a large amount of corn straw after the harvest of staple grains every year. Fodder application of corn straw can reduce the waste of straw resources. Such usage also can guarantee the supply of highquality coarse fodder for livestock and help the development of husbandry and the increase of production and income of farmers and herdsmen in China. Based on the requirements of livestock for straw feed consumption, the corn straw treatment process engineering was studied, and the overall structure, transmission scheme, and main working components of the corn straw crushing and rubbing filament machine were designed. The equipment was developed with three-dimensional modeling and solid design. Key components were verified through finite element analysis. Finally, a prototype was produced for testing. The experimental results showed that when the moisture content of corn straw was tested to be 20%, the percentage of filamentous straw of the equipment was 97.2%, and the calibrated unit power productivity could reach 82.8 kg/(kW ⋅ h). Through experiments, all indicators of the equipment met the relevant technical standards of the straw crushing and rubbing filament machine, providing theoretical basis and technical support for the design of the straw crushing and rubbing filament machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forages resources represent the vector between vegetal production and animal production, constituting, at the same time, the category of essential inputs for obtaining favourable technical-economic results in the animal breeding sector. The paper analysis the challenges and risks faced by these fodder resources in the context of environmental and climate changes, also presenting substitution alternatives, in case of deficit situations. As research methods used, descriptive and comparative analysis can be listed, along with correlations and analysis of statistical indicators, based on available official data. The analysis highlights the fact that, in the conditions of climate changes, ensuring the fodder for animal farms can present certain risks and, consequently, it is necessary to take managerial decisions to improve efficiency and reorientation in the structure of fodder crops, considering their nutritional qualities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was carried out at Agricultural Research Station, Keshwana, Jalore during winter cycle 2018-19 and 2019-20 on "Effect of different levels and foliar application of nitrogen in oat under transitional plain of Luni basin". The soils of the experimental fields were loamy sandy in texture, alkaline in reaction, low in organic matter and nitrogen content and low to medium in Phosphorous medium to high in potassium content. The experiment used a split plot design with three treatment in main plot and three plot in sub plot repeated with three times. The experiment included three levels of nitrogen, namely 50 %, 75% and 100 % of recommended nitrogen i.e. F1, F2 and F3 and 4 urea spray namely water spray, 2% urea spray at 15, 30 and 45 DAS was used. Application of nitrogen as a basal and foliar had a significant effect on the growth, green and dry fodder yields of the oat. Application of 100% RDN showed a significant higher results with respect to tillers per plant, plant height, CGR, RGR, Dry matter percentage during both the year of experiment but it was recorded at par with the 75% RDN during both the years. Green and dry fodder yields during 2018-19 were recorded significantly higher with the Application of 75% RDN, while in succeeding year it was recorded higher with 100% RDN. Foliar spray of urea 2% at 30 DAS recorded significant effect on the growth and yield parameters of the fodder oat but it was at par with the 45 DAS. Positive linear relationships were observed with respect to nitrogen application and green (R²= 0.7826) and dry (R²= 0.8019) fodder yields of oat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This field experiment was carried out at Faculty of Agriculture, Wadura, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir during (April-October) kharif, 2022. The experiment was laid out in the split-plot design with four sowing dates (15th April, 15th May, 15th June and 15th July) and four nitrogen levels (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha-1) with three replications to study the effect of sowing dates and levels of nitrogen on growth, biomass, yield, quality and the nitrogen use efficiency of fodder maize. The growth parameters viz., plant height, leaf area index, number of leaves per plant were significantly influenced by varying sowing dates and nitrogen levels and higher values of these parameters were obtained with early sowing of 15th April. The dry matter accumulation, number of leaves per plant and green fodder yield were significantly higher at early sowing of 15th April. The maximum crude protein content (%) and ash content (%) were also recorded with sowing on 15th April. In case of nitrogen levels, the growth, yield and quality parameters viz., plant height, leaf area index, leaf stem ratio, number of leaves per plant, dry matter yield, green fodder yield, dry fodder yield, crude protein and ash content were significantly improved up to nitrogen level N3. However, NDF (%) and ADF (%) decreased with an increase in nitrogen levels and was lowest at N3 level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tropical Grasslands / Forrajes Tropicales is the property of International Centre for Tropical Agriculture - CIAT and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Dual-purpose crops can alleviate the feed gap to integrate crop and livestock systems when forage deficit is severe. However, there is limited information about type of dual-purpose management and cereal species that would be most optimal for both forage and grain production. A study was conducted on twenty oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes to evaluate the nutritional constituents, antinutritional factors and yield with an aim to identify the superior dual-purpose oat genotypes. In oat fodder, average content of crude protein, crude fibre, total soluble sugars was 11.5%, 21.7%, 25.0 mg g−1, respectively. In oat grain, average content of crude protein, ether extract, β-glucan, total soluble sugars and starch was found to be 11.3%, 4.66%, 16.0 mg g−1, 8.1 mg g−1, 568 mg g−1. The OL-1871, OL-1802 and OL-1708 genotype exhibited maximum crude protein content in both grain and fodder. Among all genotypes, OL-1905, OL-1906, OL-1907 had low tannins, phytic acid and saponin content in both grain and fodder. Principal component analysis showed that first two principal components exhibited 44.3% of the total genotypic variability. Cluster analysis revealed that genotypes OL-1901, OL-1907, OL-1908, OL-1708, OL-1802 are nutritionally important as these possessed high crude protein and carbohydrates content. These genotypes also possessed good fodder yield and seed yield. These genotypes can be utilized in the breeding programme to develop nutritionally important genotypes coupled with high yield traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The livestock fattening business carried out by the partner group in Cot Karieng Village Blang Bintang Sub-District, Aceh Besar is a part-time business with a traditional pattern. Provision of feed only relies on efforts to find field grass every day. Meanwhile, the availability of forage is very fluctuating wherein during the rainy season, fresh forage is abundantly available, while during the dry season, it is very scarce. The purpose of this activity was to increase the knowledge and skills of partner groups in procuring animal feed, especially for the dry season. The solution offered was the use of hydroponic forage cultivation technology (hydroponic fodder). The seed of the fodder plant used was corn seed. The program implementation method was carried out through a participatory approach (partners were involved and worked together) starting from the initial stage to the final stage. In the first stage, coordination meetings were held so that all involved parties understood the scope of activities. In the second stage, training was carried out on hydroponic fodder cultivation methods, while assembling and applying technology which included making fodder houses (green-houses), installing green-house water networks and the process of cultivating hydroponic fodder plants was conducted in in the third stage. The stages of the cultivation process included washing and disinfecting the corn seeds by immersing them in a 1% chlorine solution for 15 minutes, then the seeds were spread out on trays. Seed moisture was always maintained by an aeroponic system every 1-2 hours for 10 minutes. After 14 days of cultivation, 1 kg of corn seed produced 6 kg of corn fodder. After washing and air-drying the corn fodder was ready to be given to livestock. The results achieved from all the implementation of this activity are the availability of facilities for the production of fodder hydroponic fodder system and the partner groups already have the skills of cultivating fodder using hydroponic fodder system.

This experiment was applied in Al-Hussainiya district in Karbala governorate. The experiment was for the pierod 6/1/2022- 11/4/2022. The aim of the study was the effect of adding zeolite with and without urea on the performance of Awassi lamps and investigates its effect on the rumen fluid. Sixteen sheep with 3-4 months of age with 18 kg weight have been used in the experiment. This number was divided into four treatments. The first treatment was fed the control treatment without any added, while the second treatment was fed with 3% zeolite, the third treatment was 3% zeolite, 1.5% urea, and the fourth treatment was 3% zeolite and 3% urea. The factorial experiment using the complete randomly design randomized design has been used to analysis the data. The results have been showed that no significant differences at the level of p

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of fodder Sorghum as poultry feed in terms of growth performance (plant height and fresh weight), nutritional quality (moisture, ash, crude protein, extract ether, crude fiber, extract material without nitrogen, and metabolic energy), and scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX). Materials and Methods: The study used a completely randomized design with six treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of planting times of 24, 48, 72, 120, and 240 h and a control (0 h). Results: The results showed that there was a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) when planting Sorghum fodder (SGF) on growth performance and moisture, but it had no significant effect on fresh weight, ash, crude protein, extract ether, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, energy metabolic aspects, and SEM-EDX. Conclusion: SGF is suitable as a feed ingredient for poultry in terms of nutrition and contains ZrO2, which functions as an antifungal. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2023; 10(2.000): 222-227]

Perennial crops, especially legumes, have a crucial role in the development of sustainable agriculture. One such species may be fodder galega (Galega orientalis Lam.), whose utility values, including persistence and multi-directional use, are still not sufficiently known and appreciated. The aim of this study was to evaluate fodder galega yield dynamics, taking into account some indices of fodder value and the accumulation of mineral components in long-term use in light soil under moderate climate conditions with periodic shortages of precipitation. The results of six long-term experiments conducted at the Mochełek Research Station (53°120′ N, 17°510′ E) were evaluated. The dynamics of dry matter, total protein yield, and accumulation of minerals were best reflected by trend lines in the form of logarithmic functions, where during the first 4–5 years of use, a significant increase in the assessed values was noted, and in subsequent years, the increase continued but at a lower rate. The advancement in plant development in the establishment year had a significant impact on yields in the first production year. On average, during 10 production years, the dry matter yield obtained was 936 g m2, and the total protein yield was 177 g m2. Between 50% and 60% of the yield was determined by herbage accumulation in the first cut. Among minerals, the highest accumulation level was achieved for potassium. The height of shoots and the content of crude fiber in the plants increased linearly in the following years. The shoot density, leafiness, and content of minerals did not depend on the age of the galega stand, and their values were different among growth periods within a season. The number of shoots per 1 m2 in successive cuts was 170, 139, and 92, and their height was 79, 67, and 31 cm, respectively. The share of leaves in the first cut yield was 50%, and in the second and third cuts, it was 65% on average. In these conditions, over 10 years of use, galega turned out to be a valuable, persistent, and reliably yielding fodder crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In India, mixed farming and cattle raising is an essential elements of rural life and these practices are connected with the social structure in cultural, religious and economic ways. India's production of fodder is very unevenly distributed and how this resource is used depends on the breed of cattle raised, the climate, the socioeconomic context and the crop-growing patterns. Fodder from cultivated regions is regularly fed to cattle and buffalo, with some harvested grasses and top feeds added as supplements. On the other hand within the land area of just 2.3 per cent, India is home to 16.8 per cent of the world's population and nearly 20 per cent of the world's cattle. India homes cattle (16%), buffalo (55%), goats (20%) and sheep (5%) of worlds total livestock population respectively. This fact makes it more cumbersome to meet the forage demand by livestock, thus shift in paradigm and opportunity in near future is about to hike for fodder crops with their potentiality in production per unit area. The present Indian scenario of fodder crops in comparison with the livestock population is being described in this article along with the net deficit and surplus availability of green and dry fodder. Further, this review also includes the opening of a new way for oats to contribute to fodder production. The challenges facing India for fodder production and its near opportunity to open up and evolve with various methodologies to tackle the present fodder demand by enhancing the production is described in detail in an article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissipation and persistence study of imidacloprid on peas as seed treatment revealed presence of 6.47 and 9.92 mg kg-1 residues on green pea leaves at a dose of 1.8 g and 3.6 g a.i. per kg of seed, respectively after 19 days of treatment. Residues of imidacloprid dissipated below limit of quantification of 0.01 mg kg-1 after 49 and 54 days of treatment. Residues of imidacloprid were found below limit of quantification of 0.01 mg kg-1 in immature pod with succulent seeds, succulent seeds (shelled), mature pod with seeds, mature seeds (shelled), soil and dry fodder (without root and pod). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The stress caused by dryness can affect plant growth and physiology. Several coping mechanisms (recovery, avoidance, tolerance and drought escape) have been developed to mitigate the impact of drought stress, and most strategies involve survival during stress condition. The aim of this study was to compare the morphological and physiological characteristics of two varieties of sorghum forage (Pegah and Speedfeed) under drought stress conditions in order to provide beneficial and functional recommendations to farmers in the study area.METHODS: This study was performed as a spit-plot plot in a complete randomised design with 3 replications for two years in Esfahan, Iran. Experimental treatments included drought stress at three levels for two varieties of sorghum. Mechanisms of sorghum response to drought stress, including physiological and morphological alterations, were also proposed. Treatment means were compared by the Duncan test at 5% and 1% levels of probability. The statistical analysis was applied to the data using the R software.FINDING: Lower irrigation showed a gradual decrease in plants height, number of leaves per plant, stem diameter, nitrogen and crude protein, with an increase in the length and weight of their panicle. Compared to Pegah variety, Speedfeed cultivar with 12% increase enhanced the contents of chlorophyll (1.7 times) in the two years of experiment. It could be concluded that Speedfeed variety exhibited better yield and quality characteristics against drought stress compared to Pegah variety. Considering the tolerance index and the harmonic mean index, Pegah showed the highest sensitivity to drought stress.CONCLUSION: This study indicated that sorghum had several adaptive mechanisms for dealing with drought stress, so that it could be applied as a suitable alternative for other crops with higher water needs such as Zea.

This study aims to determine the effect of feeding fodder obtained from diversified dry land farming on daily weight gain, chest girth, shoulder height, and body length of male fattening Bali cattle. This study used a double Latin square design (LSD) with 4 treatments, namely T0 = local feed of farmers in Timor (farmer model). T1 = Diversified farm feed (T1 + mulato grass), T2 = T1 + legume Clitoria tarnatea, T3 = T2 + horticulture by-product using 4 periods as replicates. The livestock observed were eight male Bali cattle aged eight months to one year and weighed 97-121 kg (average 108.5 kg). The results showed that the feeding fodder obtained from the diversified farming had a significant effect (P0.05) on the linear body size measurements (chest girth, shoulder height, and body length). Considering the economical and convenient features, T2 feed treatment provided a greater contribution of 21.74% compared to control.

Mixed farming systems (MFS) are the main food source and exist across almost all agroecological regions in the Global South. A systematic scoping review was conducted to identify the status of integrated crop-livestock research in MFS of the Global South. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol was used to identify 210 studies (excluding reviews) addressing productivity, resilience, challenges, opportunities, and perceptions of integrating crops and livestock in the Global South from the Scopus and Web of Science database. Publication details, problem statement, experimental details and research outcomes of each study were extracted into an MS. Excel sheet. Descriptive methods such as frequency counting and the word frequency cloud were used to analyze the data and identify emerging themes. Integrated crop-livestock research was mostly conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia and not much from North Africa and the Caribbean. The integrated research has been focused on farm production of human food and animal feed by smallholder farmers and soil productivity. Maize was the most dominant crop, while for livestock, it was sheep and cattle. The integrated crop-livestock research seeked to address various challenges, including the growing demand for food and fodder, water scarcity, land scarcity and degradation, climate change, disease outbreaks and social changes. The review summarized proposed strategies and approaches to improve the efficiency of MFS in the Global South. Under the current challenges, feed quality and supply can be improved through adoption of high biomass, climate smart and improved drought-tolerant fodder crops. Using crop residues incorporated in crop fields for improved soil organic matter and controlled grazing were some strategies suggested for land rehabilitation. Building the resilience of smallholder farmers in MFS can be done through diversification and ensuring access to information, markets and finance. Policies that promote the business component, i.e., markets, training, gender equality, private investments, tenure systems and technology adoption were identified for the sustainability of MFS. There is need for research that integrates crop-livestock systems and natural resource management innovations and that evaluates sustainable intensification strategies to meet productivity goals without compromising social and ecological outcomes in MFS.

Adapting our food production chain and increasing the flora and fauna's livelihood in climate change-affected areas using Opuntia is not only theoretical but already exists in practice in many places. This cactus grows in unsuitable soil for most species as it is adapted to arid and semi-arid soils and hot weather. In these regions, Opuntia protects from erosion and contributes to soil health. The usage of this plant as fodder is also discussed, with immense potential in substituting a part of livestock's diet and even increasing the quality of the animal's by-products and decreasing water consumption. This would result in a feed that is low-cost and has a lower environmental impact. It is to be noted that Opuntia has a high potential as an invasive species, with caution always being recommended when dealing with this specie. The high content of specific compounds, such as proline, indicaxanthin, and betanin, found in Opuntia ficus-indica, influence the plant's adaptation to unfavourable conditions. This collective evidence depicts Opuntia as a crop that can battle climate change and ensure food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maize is an excellent fodder crop due to its high biomass, better palatability, succulency, and nutrition. Studies on morpho-physiological and biochemical characterization of fodder maize are limited. The present study aimed to explore the genetic variation in fodder maize landraces for various morpho-physiological traits and estimation of genetic relationship and population structure. Methods and results: The study on 47 fodder maize landraces revealed significant variation for all morpho-physiological traits except leaf-stem ratio. Plant height, stem girth, leaf-width and number of leaves showed positive correlation with green fodder yield. Morpho-physiological traits-based clustering grouped the landraces into three major clusters, whereas neighbour joining cluster and population structure analysis using 40 SSR markers revealed four and five major groups, respectively. Most landraces of Northern Himalaya-Kashmir and Ludhiana fall into a single group, whereas rest groups mainly had landraces from North-Eastern Himalaya. A total of 101 alleles were generated with mean polymorphic information content value of 0.36 and major allele frequency of 0.68. The pair wise genetic dissimilarity between genotypes ranged from 0.21 to 0.67. Mantel test revealed weak but significant correlation between morphological and molecular distance. Biochemical characterisation of superior landraces revealed significant variation for neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, cellulose and lignin content. Conclusion: Interestingly, significant, and positive correlation of SPAD with lignin content can be explored to bypass the costly affair of invitro quality assessment for digestibility parameters. The study identified superior landraces and demonstrated the use of molecular markers in genetic diversity assessment and grouping of genotypes for fodder maize improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the research was to carry out some analyses in order to establish the physico-chemical composition and the fungal load of the plant substrates used for raising animals, in a cattle farm in the Moldova area in 2022. There were five categories of samples (75 determinations in total) - alfalfa hay, corn silage, mixed feed ration, concentrates, corn grains and were analysed randomly from the farm. The results of the physico-chemical composition of the feed by the FT-NIRS technique were in accordance with the regulations in force and no significant differences were found between the samples, it is certain that the humidity had a higher percentage, hence the fact that there were developed species of fungi speaking from the point of view of mycotic contamination. The highest fungal load was recorded in corn grains and corn silage, and the lowest value was recorded in alfalfa hay. The number of colony-forming units per gram of sample was determined by the serial dilution technique in a double agar layer. The results obtained during the analysed period highlighted the presence of the genus Penicillium to the greatest extent (28%), and the lowest percentage was recorded for the genus Cladosporium (5.3%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agro-morphological attributes are the key parameters for evaluating field crops including fodders. The genetic divergence of cereal forages provide sustainability to modern intensive production systems in the worlds. Changing climate situation is challenging for sorghum and other field crops. Therefore, characterization of agro-morphological attributes of sorghum is crucial for plant fitness, adaptability, livestock and human food supply in the worlds. A field study in the regular arrangement of randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was conducted at the experimental farm, RCA, Udaipur. The study was aimed to evaluate and characterize sixteen multi-cut fodder sorghum genotypes for various agro-morphological traits. As per recorded data, genotypes displayed significant variability for various traits. Additionally, green fodder yield (GFY) at first cut manifested significant and positive association with regeneration score whereas genotypic and phenotypic coefficient variation (GCV & PCV) remained high for dry fodder yield at second cut. Furthermore, high heritability (h2) along with high expected genetic gains were exhibited by dry fodder yield at second cut. Moreover, plant height exhibited the maximum direct effect on green fodder yield at first cut followed by regeneration ability score and leaf: stem ratio. To conclude, genotype SPH-1877 showed better performance for green fodder and dry fodder yield, and also exhibited better regeneration score compared to the rest of the genotypes. This study suggests that the best sorghum cultivar with better agro-morphological and yield related traits can be useful for sustainable sorghum production and ensuring the fodder supply for livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Good quality water and arable land are required for both domestic and agricultural uses. Increasing population leads to urbanization and industrialization increasing the need to share these resources and creating threats to the food supply. Higher meat consumption requires mitigation strategies to protect food and mitigate economic crises, especially in developing nations. The production of food crops for energy purposes and lower yield due to climate change increase food prices as well as have a negative impact on the economy. Thus, an alternative food source is required featuring high forage components to reduce grazing periods and to prevent rangeland degradation. Halophytes can tolerate high salinity and can be easily grown for fodder in coastal areas where fodder is a problem. Varied climate conditions offer opportunities to grow suitable halophytes for specific purposes. One important feature is their use as fodder. To reduce food shortages, saline areas could be used to grow nutritive and productive halophytic forage. Wild plants have undesirable metabolites produced in harsh conditions which may be harmful for ruminant health. Halophytes have moderate amounts of these metabolites which are nontoxic. Halophytes can be grown without intruding on agricultural lands and freshwater resources and could promote livestock production which may improve the socio-economic conditions of poor farmers in a sustainable and ecofriendly manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of fodder Sorghum as poultry feed in terms of growth performance (plant height and fresh weight), nutritional quality (moisture, ash, crude protein, extract ether, crude fiber, extract material without nitrogen, and metabolic energy), and scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX). Materials and Methods: The study used a completely randomized design with six treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of planting times of 24, 48, 72, 120, and 240 h and a control (0 h). Results: The results showed that there was a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) when planting Sorghum fodder(SGF) on growth performance and moisture, but it had no significant effect on fresh weight, ash, crude protein, extract ether, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, energy metabolic aspects, and SEM-EDX. Conclusion: SGF issuitable as a feed ingredient for poultry in terms of nutrition and contains ZrO2, which functions as an antifungal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the problem of provision with personal property of rural settlers in the Kaliningrad region after World War II. A significant role in the material well-being of workers of collective and state farms was played by subsidiary farms. Basing on materials included in the database of immigrants to the new Russian region, the presence of cows, calves, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry, forage, food and household items in the immigrant families is analyzed for the year 1946. Well-being of households arriving in the region from different regions is compared according to each type of possessings. Taking into account the places of exit, the resettlement families are divided into further groups: low-income, medium-income, and high-income households with livestock and belongings. Property disproportions are explained by the consequences of the Great Patriotic War and the specifics of the places of exit. The study of migrants’ interviews made it possible to determine the composition of the items included in the “household possessions” category. In the difficult first post-war year, not all the villagers who came to domesticate the Kaliningrad region were provided with cattle, furniture and utensils, food stock. There was not enough roughage for domestic animals. However, half or more of the migrating families had cows, sheep, goats and poultry in their private farms, which was one of the factors that helped them to survive the post-war famine.

The optimization of plant nutrients and irrigation regimes hold potential to boost maize growth, cob yield, herbage biomass and revenue generation of maize. A field study was conducted to optimize irrigation and fertilization management for dual-purpose maize. The experiment was comprised four irrigation regimes viz. no irrigation (I0), one irrigation 20 days after sowing (DAS) (I1), two irrigations 20 and 40 DAS (I2), and three irrigations 20, 40 and 60 DAS (I3). The fertilization regimes included a treatment with recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF) (275-125-80-125-8 kg ha-1 of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, gypsum and sulfur) (F1), poultry manure (PM) (5 t ha-1) (F2), 75% RDF + PM (2.5 t ha-1) (F3), and 50% RDF + PM (5 t ha-1) (F4). Combination of I3 and F3 outperformed other treatment combinations in terms of most of the yield attributes such as plant height (177.72 cm), cob length with (8.36 cm) and without husk (1.62 cm), and cob (without husk) yield (3.86 t ha-1). This treatment combination also produced maize with the highest protein content of leaves and cobs. However, the highest green herbage yield (29.99 t ha-1) was recorded with I1×F1, which remained at par with I1×F3. It took 20 additional days for crop switching from fodder harvest to attain baby corn maturity. The economic analysis revealed that I3×F3 treatment combination generated the greatest economic revenue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) can survive extreme environmental condition and is known for its fodder potential in many parts of the world. The morphological diversity of 15 introduced accessions was evaluated at Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The plants were established in 2013. Survival and nutrient status were evaluated after two years. Above-ground plant height, biomass, primary and secondary cladode numbers, primary and secondary cladode lengths and below-ground root length, weight, and surface area measurements were done six years after cladode planting. Yellow San Cono, White Roccapalumba, and Seedless Roccapalumba survived 100%. The discriminant traits according to principal component analysis were: primary cladodes plant−1 (component loading, 0.87), primary cladodes biomass (0.95), secondary cladodes plant−1 (0.83), canopy width (0.84), and plant biomass (0.92). Hierarchical cluster analysis grouped 15 accessions into two main clusters based on 17 morphological traits. Cluster I showed favorable values for many above- and below-ground morphological traits while Cluster II showed higher performance for root system width, height, and biomass, and primary and secondary cladode numbers. The results indicate that cactus pear accessions have considerable morphological variability and genetic diversity suitable for promotion as alternative fodder resources in semi-arid regions of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water salinity is a critical cause of the decrease in quality of fodder plants. The use of saline water as an alternative to fresh water requires the production of elite plant varieties that can tolerate excess amounts of sodium chloride. In this study, we evaluated six genotypes of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) used as sprout fodder for their tolerance to saline water conditions. The six genotypes were tested for their germination vigor, α-amylase activity, root system architecture (RSA) phenotyping, relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content (ChC), reactive oxygen species accumulation (ROS), and total antioxidant capacity. Increasing the salt concentration caused a significant decrease in the germination time, α-amylase activity, germination percentage, ChC, and RWC of all the genotypes, but significant differences in the RSA and ChC were detected. In addition, the plasticity of these characteristics at the seedling stage increased their potential to select varieties that could produce high amounts of green fodder when fresh water alternatives are used. Strong and positive correlations were detected between the green carpet formed under the salt treatment and ChC at the seedling stage for a local genotype and G134. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the increase in the number of animals, the number of animal farms specialized in the production of goat milk also increased, the number of farms equipped with mechanized milking systems, milk pasteurization lines, pasteurized milk bottling, combined slaughterhouses, etc. increased. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate sustainable development as one of the current requirements of the economic efficiency of livestock farms, by ensuring the complete value chain with complex and perfect inputs. The methods of observation, monograph and comparison were used in the elaboration of this work. The data presented in the respective work were accumulated from the statistical researches of the husbandry entities in the country, the official data of the National Bureau of Statistics of Moldova and from the dedicated works on this topic. The results pursued in this research point to the identification of the economic capacities of the goat breeding sector in the Republic of Moldova by making investments in the dimension of increasing the gross added value of the business. The research conclusions allow us to state the availability of reserves by tracking the quality and quantity of production determined by increasing the contribution to the value of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field experiment was done in Al-Muthanna Governorate. The experiment examined how mowing frequency and humic and fulvic acid affected Masqawi lucerne growth and yield in 2022–2023. Three replicates of the split plot design, namely the randomized complete block design (RCBD), were used.. The experiment had four humic and fulvic acid concentrations: A0, A1, A2, and A3, representing 0, 20, 40, and 60 L ha-1. There were also four mowings, C0, C1, C2, and C3, representing control, one, two, and three mowings, respectively. The statistical analysis yielded substantial disparities in both acidity levels and fulvic acid concentrations. A3 shown superiority in relation to the wet and dry weight of the cuttings, with values of 12.182 and 2.377 tons ha-1, respectively. Additionally, A3 had a higher percentage of total protein, measuring at 15.746%. In relation to the quantity of mowings, it is noteworthy that the third mowings, denoted as C3, shown superior performance in terms of the cumulative weight of the mowings, yielding a value of 20.682 tons ha-1. Additionally, C3 exhibited a notable proportion of total protein, measuring at 12.725%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The stress caused by dryness can affect plant growth and physiology. Several coping mechanisms (recovery, avoidance, tolerance and drought escape) have been developed to mitigate the impact of drought stress, and most strategies involve survival during stress condition. The aim of this study was to compare the morphological and physiological characteristics of two varieties of sorghum forage (Pegah and Speedfeed) under drought stress conditions in order to provide beneficial and functional recommendations to farmers in the study area. METHODS: This study was performed as a spit-plot plot in a complete randomised design with 3 replications for two years in Esfahan, Iran. Experimental treatments included drought stress at three levels for two varieties of sorghum. Mechanisms of sorghum response to drought stress, including physiological and morphological alterations, were also proposed. Treatment means were compared by the Duncan test at 5% and 1% levels of probability. The statistical analysis was applied to the data using the R software. FINDINGS: Lower irrigation showed a gradual decrease in plants height, number of leaves per plant, stem diameter, nitrogen and crude protein, with an increase in the length and weight of their panicle. Compared to Pegah variety, Speedfeed cultivar with 12% increase enhanced the contents of chlorophyll (1.7 times) in the two years of experiment. It could be concluded that Speedfeed variety exhibited better yield and quality characteristics against drought stress compared to Pegah variety. Considering the tolerance index and the harmonic mean index, Pegah showed the highest sensitivity to drought stress. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that sorghum had several adaptive mechanisms for dealing with drought stress, so that it could be applied as a suitable alternative for other crops with higher water needs such as Zea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Quality traits of forage crops are largely influenced by various agronomic management practices at field conditions in different climatic strata. Judicious use of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients may sustain soil health, fodder productivity and quality. Keeping above facts in view an experiment was conducted for evaluation of nutrient management practices to increase fodder quality of pearl millet. Methods: The experiment was carried out during kharif season (2019-20) at Agronomy Research Farm, ICAR-NDRI, Karnal and laid out in randomized block design with eight treatments, viz., T1 : Absolute control; T2 : 100% RDF; T3 : 100% RDF + Cow urine foliar spray; T4 : 100% RDF + PGPR; T5 : 100% RDF + PGPR + Cow urine foliar spray; T6 : 75% RDF + Cow urine foliar spray; T7 : 75% RDF + PGPR and T8 : 75% RDF + PGPR + Cow urine foliar spray. Each treatment had three replications. Result: The results showed that the fodder proximate principles viz., dry matter, crude protein, ether extract and total ash content increase by 27.04, 21.33, 24.06 and 31.17% respectively, with T5 treatment than absolute control. The cell wall constituents such as neutral detergent fibre (63.99%), acid detergent fibre (39.50%) and acid detergent lignin (5.60%) were also lower in T5 treatment over the other treatments. It can be concluded that the fodder quality of pearl millet significantly better with application of T5 treatment, that was found statistically at par with T4 treatment. Which, will further strengthen and sustain the performance of livestock in terms of health and milk production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with the determination of germinability of black medick (Medicago lupulina L.) seeds in conditions of different drought intensity induced by different concentrations of PEG 8000 solutions (0.2; 0.4; 0.6 mol). Four batches of seed were tested (Ekola 2–5). At the same time, the influence of boron, some other elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, Mn) and compounds (starch, lipids and sugars) contents in black medick seeds on their germinability (percentages of germinated, dead and hard seeds) was evaluated. The effect of drought was manifested by germination which was reduced max. by 8% as compared with the control variant and was only partially significant. Statistically significant (P < 0.01) negative correlations (R = − 0.64) were recorded between germinability and the boron content in the seeds, and positive correlations were found between the percentages of hard seeds and the boron content in the seeds. The results show that the higher content of boron in the seeds of black medick increases the proportion of hard seeds at the expense of the germinated seeds percentages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe some considerations about the alimentary and anti-methanogenic potential of Bauhinia divaricata, Dalbergia glabra, Piscidia piscipula and Caesalpinia vesicaria (Fabaceae) present in Campeche, Mexico, in domestic ruminants. Design/methodology/approach: The information was obtained from databases and archives in the internet, as well as official websites of national and international organizations. Results: Although there is vast information about some Fabaceae species, it is still limited for B. divaricata, D. glabra, P. piscipula and C. vesicaria, although they are consumed by domestic ruminants. The few studies available report between 11 and 18% of raw protein (RP) and some secondary metabolites; however, there are no studies that allow understanding their anti-methanogenic potential and their effects on productivity. Limitations on study/implications: This study offers a panorama of the alimentary and anti-methanogenic potential of four tropical species in domestic ruminants. Findings/conclusions: B. divaricata, D. glabra, P. piscipula and C. vesicaria grow in the Yucatan Peninsula, they are found in grazing zones and are consumed by animals; however, there are few reports that determine the nutritional value of their edible components and no reports that evaluate their effect on productivity of domestic ruminants or their capacity to decrease the ruminal production of methane (CH4). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In studies aimed at expanding the range of the organic farming system, the authors studied the comparative productivity of such field crops like barley and safflower cultivated with the use of traditional and biologized technologies. The use of biological preparations and organic biofertilizers of the latest generation was studied as a biologized technology on barley and safflower crops. As shown by the experimental data, with the biologized technology in the conditions of the zone in question, the yield of barley increased by 27.02% compared to traditional technologies, the harvest of protein increased by 0.02 t/ha, and the energy value by 2.25 GJ/ha. In this work, it was concluded that the use of the biologized technology of barley and safflower cultivation was important to improve the efficiency of agricultural landscape management in the system of organic farming, which constitutes the scientific novelty of the study.

Halophytes are widespread in the Tunisian marginal saline soils but not widely exploited. This study aims to evaluate the forage quality and chemical composition of three halophytes, native in southern Tunisia : Salicornia emerici Duval-Jouve, Sarcocornia alpini (Lag.) Castrov. et Sarcocornia fruticosa (L.). Dry biomass (MS), organic matter (MO), mineral (MM) and crude protein (PB) contents, in vitro digestibility, ions and anti-nutritional compounds (flavonoids, tannins and saponins) were determined and compared to those of Medicago sativa (L.), considered as reference feeding plant. The obtained results indicate that dry biomass of these halophytes ranges from 10.50% to 18.63% for S. emerici and S. fruticosa, respectively. Compared to S. emerici, both halophytes recorded the highest percentages of organic matter and crude protein and higher concentrations of Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Fe2+. These three halophytes, harvested during the summer period, showed important digestibility percentages (> 70 % MS), exceeding those of alfalfa, and low levels of ADF, ADL and anti-nutritive compounds (condensed tannins, flavonoids and saponins). These findings suggest that the valorization of these native halophytes as fodder is promising, in particular S. alpini and S. fruticosa. This can provide many economic and environmental advantages in drylands.

A baseline survey was carried out to determine the iodine status of goats and its relationship with the levels of soil, water, and fodder samples collected from different agro-climatic zones (sub-tropical, lower, and upper-intermediate) of the Jammu division. A total of 74 blood and 60 milk samples from goats, as well as soil (50), water (50), and fodder (56) samples, were collected. Plasma inorganic iodine (PII), milk inorganic iodine (MII), iodide ion (I-), and thyroid hormone (T3 and T4) levels were measured along with biochemical parameters. The average PII, I-, and MII concentrations of goats from unorganized farms were 55.99±4.56 ng/ml, 1.37±0.11 ppm, and 47.3±5.68 ng/ml compared 74.68±8.40 ng/ml, 1.43±0.11 ppm and 62.01±8.55 ng/ml, respectively from the organized farm. Based on PII level, 71.62% of goats had moderate deficiency (level 50-100 ng/ml) and 28.37% had severe deficiency (level

Underutilized legumes are nutritionally important group of crops with immense medicinal values and contribute significantly as a resource of profit to the poor farmers. Horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) and Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranean) are two such underutilized legumes largely grown in India and other South Asian countries contribute significantly to the diet of poor people during adverse climatic condition particularly to them who cannot afford to grow pulses that require balanced nutrition. They are fit for diversification, green manuring and may be used as cover crops and also thrive well under stressful dry environment. Changing lifestyle and climate variability bring enough scope for their cultivation and profitability. Horse gram is medicinally superior to other traditionally consumed pulses and can fight against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Besides its use as fodder crop, it cures urinary stones, gastritis, excessive post-partum bleeding, rheumatism, coronary heart disease, diabetes, etc. Bambara groundnut has distinctive drought adaptations and is suitable under semi-arid climate. Extract of Bambara groundnut is used as weaning food in African countries. The present review focuses on origin, morphology, genetic diversity, traditional uses, nutritional and medicinal importance, potential as food and fodder crop and constraints to higher productivity of both horse gram and Bambara groundnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bio-recycling of crop residues is contemplated as an environment friendly soil enrichment and conservation practice that sustains agricultural productivity in the long run. Legume residues are privileged by the unique nitrogen fixing capacity and rhizospheric properties that enhance soil fertility, thereby reducing the need for chemical nutrient inputs. The present study was conducted to evaluate the residual effect of red gram on fodder maize cultivated as succeeding crop in the southern laterites of Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Methods: The field experiment to assess the effect of red gram residue incorporation on the growth and yield of fodder maize was carried out in the Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala during June - August 2019. Fodder maize (African tall) was sown in the plots after incorporation of crop residues of red gram varieties (APK 1 and Vamban (Rg) 3) grown under different planting geometry (40 cm x 20 cm and 60 cm x 30 cm) and NPK doses (40:80:40, 30:60:30 and 20:40:20 kg NPK ha-1) and compared with the package of practices recommendation and in randomized block design (RBD) replicated thrice. Result: Significantly higher quantities of red gram residues were realised and incorporated in the treatments involving a planting geometry of 40 cm x 20 cm and an NPK dose of 40:80:40 kg NPK ha-1 in both varieties used, Vamban (Rg) 3 and APK 1 (T7 and T1). Nutrient contents in the residues and decomposition in T1 and T7 resulted in the maximum additions in soil, available N, P and K status and dehydrogenase activity. Evaluation of the residual effects of the legume on fodder maize revealed the significantly highest growth and yields in maize raised with chemical fertilizers as per package recommendation and, among the residue incorporated treatments, maximum plant height and fodder yields were recorded in the treatment in which residues of Vamban (Rg) 3 raised at 40 cm x 20 cm spacing and fertilised with 40:80:40 kg NPK ha-1 were incorporated, on par with variety APK 1 raised under same management practice. The green fodder yield with residue incorporation was 80-90 per cent that under chemical fertilizer managed treatment. Among the quality parameters, crude protein (9.30%) was the highest with chemical fertilizer application while carbohydrate content (66.23%) was the lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mediterranean pasture and forage legumes are important components of sustainable production systems. Subterranean clover and sulla represent key species having proven high agronomic value and traits for production and multiple services. Our research investigated the potential of the abovementioned species as a source of phenolic compounds and antioxidants for contributing to support their full exploitation in the fodder, animal welfare, and nutraceutical sectors. Antioxidant capacity, as well as the content of total phenolic compounds and individual phenolic compounds, was determined in subterranean clover and sulla shoots at the vegetative, flower bud, flowering, and seed ripening phenological stages. The antioxidant capacity and the phenolic content were affected significantly by harvest time. In subterranean clover, 10 individual phenolic compounds were detected, and isoflavones were the most abundant (3.19–18.27 mg·g−1 DM). Eleven phenolic compounds were identified in sulla shoots, and chlorogenic acid (0.76–3.43 mg·g−1 DM) and diosmin (3.64–4.94 mg·g−1 DM) were the most represented compounds at the vegetative and flower bud stage. On the basis of our findings, a complementary utilization of both legume species is suggested; this might ensure the exploitation of all phenolic compounds in view of the potential benefits for animal production and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Part of the annual cultivated grasses from the botanical family of Gramineae (Poaceae), barley (Hordeum Vulgare) is considered as a important cereal crop worldwide, especially regarding its use in animal feed, as beeing known for its many benefits, such as a well-balanced energy and calories intanke and its high protein content. The large scale use of cereals in human and animal nutrition presents a series of special advantages, such as the possibility of long-term preservation of the quality of the grains, the easy forms of transportation, the multitude of uses, or the potential of cultivating these species in various geo-pedo-climatic conditions. Thus, all these advantages have determined the very high share of cereals globally, not only in terms of the agricultural sector, but also in terms of the world trade. The large scale use of cereals in human and animal nutrition presents a series of special advantages, such as the possibility of long-term preservation of the quality of the grains, the easy forms of transportation, the multitude of uses, or the potential of cultivating these species in various geo-pedo-climatic conditions. Thus, all these advantages have determined the very high share of cereals globally, not only in terms of the agricultural sector, but also in terms of the world trade. Due to their particular characteristics, such as very good tolerance to the main foliar diseases and high tillering capacity, the new fodder barley varieties have determined the wide spread of this crop, as one of the main cultivated cereal species, known for its reliable and constant productions and which, together with the two-row barley, exceeds 50 million cultivated hectares worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]