Author(s):

Dr. Kumar Naik AH, Dr. Parashurama Chandravamshi, Basavaraj Naik. M, Dr. Pradeep S, Dr. Sannathimmappa and Dr. Sunil C

Abstract: Green fodder is the natural diet for livestock for a sustainable dairy farming and dairy cattle requires green fodder for high milk yield. However, it cannot available throughout the year especially in dry land situation, it is difficult to have access for green fodder due to many reasons; non-availability of irrigated lands for fodder production, higher labour cost and small land holdings. Thus, hydroponic maize fodder (HMF) is an effective solution for fodder scarcity and is very promising for sustainable livestock production in different regions of the world and nowadays it plays significant role in augmenting fodder shortage of small holding dairy farmers in scarce rainfall areas. Hydroponics fodder production involves growing of plants without soil for a short duration (7 day). In hydroponic fodder production system, it can be possible to grow 13-14 kg of green fodder from one kg of maize seeds. In this study results revealed that feeding of HMF to lactating cows with partially reduced concentrate mixture increased the digestibility of nutrients of crude protein (13.62 vs 10.24 %), ether extract (3.24 VS 2.13 %), nitrogen free extract (64.23 vs 50.23 %) and lower crude fiber (13.86 vs 23.25 %), total ash (3.12 vs 9.02 %) and acid insoluble ash (0.23 vs 1.12 %) and significantly higher mean body weight (431.77), before test milk yield (11.76 kg/day), during test milk yield (14.56 kg/day), 0 % Fat corrected milk (9.16 kg/day), fat (4.46 %) solids not fat (9.11 %) was recorded with cows fed with HMF 14 kg/day + 10 kg dry sorghum straw /groundnut haulm + concentrate feed (4.0 kg) as compared to conventional green fodder (CGF) respectively and further, there was increase in milk yield per day to the tune of 16.5 % more in fed with HMF (Rs. 435) than CGF (Rs. 363) leading to increase in net profit (Rs. 241/day/animal).

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