What is Fodder Crop?

 

Fodder Crop

Fodder Crop

•          In agriculture fodder or animal feed is any foodstaff that is used specially to feed domesticated livestock such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens, and pigs.

•          Most animal feed is from plants but some is of animal origin.

•          „ Fodder” refers particularly to food given to the animals.

•          It includes hay, straw, silage, compressed and pelleted feeds, oils and mixed rations, and also sprouted grains and legumes.

A crop is a non-animal species or variety that is grown to be harvested as food, livestock fodder, fuel, or for any economical purpose.

•          Major world crops include maize (corn), wheat, rice, soybeans, potatoes, and cotton.

Systems of fodder crop production

•          The system of fodder crop production vary from region to region, place to place and farmer to farmer, depending upon the availability of inputs, namely fertilizers, irrigation, insecticides, pesticides, etc. and the topography.

•          An ideal fodder crop production system is that which gives the maximum outturn of digestible nutrients per hectare, or maximum livestock products from a unit area.

Growing Region

•          A growing region is an area suited by climate and soil conditions to the cultivation of a certain type of crop or plant group.