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Impacts of Fodder Crop Introduction Into Farming Systems of Selected Areas on Smallholder Dairy Development in Bangladesh.

Khan Shahidul Huque
Chief Scientific officer
Animal Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka 1341.

Md. Mofizul Islam
Principal Scientific Officer
Animal Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka 1341.

S. M. Amanullah
Scientific Officer
Animal Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka 1341.

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Cattle share the highest relative importance for milk (98.0%), meat (60.0%) and hides (60.0%) production in the country. The average annual growth rate of milk is about 4.21%, it supplies daily only 34.0 ml in place of 250 ml per capita requirement of milk. During 1998 to 2005, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) with the help of Milk Vita introduced BLRI Napier-1, BLRI Napier-2 and BLRI Napier-3 varieties of fodder crops in the AEZ-4 that is known as a milk potential area supported with structured milk marketing and with the help of local farmers introduced the same in the AEZ-4 unlike that of AEZ-8 in respect to milk production but facilitated with urban milk markets. Milk Vita was mostly responsible for collection of fodder cuttings from BLRI and distribution of them to farmers. During the period of 1998 to 2005 farmers in the cooperative milk marketing area increased Napier cultivation under the auspices of Milk Vita. BLRI offered training to farmers in 2001 for cultivation of Napier, its processing and preservation and utilization by animals. The farmers of both the areas reported that significant (p<0.01) increase in green grass availability through fodder cultivation reduced the amount of straw and concentrate including dairy cows. The increased supply of green fodder helped to increase daily average milk production (from 7.70 to 9.4 liters, p<0.01), days of lactation (from 235 to 251 days, p<0.01), but reduced average milk fat content (from 15.4 to 41.4 g/ kg) significantly (p<0.01, the data was found only in the cooperative area). The most difficult factor for the farmer to continue Napier cultivation is the availability of cuttings. Farmers use to conserve grass cuttings following the systems showed to them. In addition some farmers of high land area which is not affected by floodwater are trained to raise Napier grass after several cuttings to use as sources of seed for the next year, and in addition to sell seed cuttings to other farmers. Further extension of the fodder technology depends on two major factors (i) potentiality of an area for dairy, and even for fattening cattle production, especially, in terms of contribution of annual production and distribution system at farm levels. Based on the data available on temperature and rainfall, crops, percent households keep livestock possible the potential areas of the country may be classified into ten Dairy Production Zones (DPZ). This very tentative dairy zoning is presented here to introduce the concept and give emphasize on strategy for fodder and forage crop introduction in the cropping system and increase of green biomass supply.

Keywords: Fodder crop, Farming systems, Selected areas, Smallholder, Dairy development.

Location: Animal Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka 1341.

Start Date: 01-07-2005

End Date: 30-06-2006

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Fodder

Objectives:

The stakeholders of both private and public sectors may undertake a coordinated development programme for smallholder dairy development and fodder production in the country.

Methodology:

Workplan and fodder germplasm: During the period of the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) with the help of Milk Vita introduced BLRI Napier-1, BLRI Napier-2 and BLRI Napier-3 varieties of fodder crops in the AEZ-4 that is known as a milk potential area supported with structured milk marketing and with the help of local farmers introduced the same in the AEZ-8 that is unlike that of AEZ-8 in respect to milk production milk market facility.The three varieties of Napier grass, in fact. Had no differences in nutritional values except that in morphological characteristics (Islam et. Al., 2002). The farmers received mature whole plants and they cut them into pieces each containing two nodes at the two ends. In addition to transport and collection cost, the farmers had to pay TK. 10.0 to BLRI for each bundle of mature grass of approximately 1000 cuttings. Sometimes the farmers laid down the whole stem without any cutting on the soft soil to safe labor cost and young shoots come out from each of the nodes. Coordination between BLRI and Bangladesh Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union Ltd. (Milk Vita): Testing a technology at farm level requires a strong cooperation between a research institute and extension and /or development organizations. BLRI initiated the present work with the help of Milk Vita deals with the supply of inputs and marketing of milk and milk products. Milk Vita was mostly responsible for collection of fodder cuttings from BLRI and distribution of them to farmers. During the period 1998 to 2005 farmers in the cooperative milk marketing area increased the area of Napier cultivation under the auspices of Milk Vita. BLRI offered training to farmers in 2001 for cultivation of Napier, its processing and preservation and utilization by animals.

Source of Information: BLRI. Animal Production Research Division, Research Reports 2005-2006, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Dhaka 1341.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The most difficult factor for the farmer to continue Napier cultivation is the availability of cuttings. Farmers use to conserve grass cuttings following the systems showed to them. In addition some farmers of high land area which is not affected by floodwater are trained to raise Napier grass after several cuttings to use as sources of seed for the next year, and in addition to sell seed cuttings to other farmers. Further extension of the fodder technology depends on two major factors (i) potentiality of an area for dairy, and even for fattening cattle production, especially, in terms of contribution of annual production and distribution system at farm levels. Based on the data available on temperature and rainfall, crops, percent households keep livestock possible the potential areas of the country may be classified into ten Dairy Production Zones (DPZ). This very tentative dairy zoning is presented here to introduce the concept and give emphasize on strategy for fodder and forage crop introduction in the cropping system and increase of green biomass supply. The research work was conducted on 170 and 40 farmers of the cooperative and non-cooperative areas, respectively and they were of small, medium and large land category spare land for fodder cultivation and keep dairy cattle. Farmers’ reached with a definite structured questionnaire were represented by 42% and 45% of small and medium land category of the cooperative area and 90% and 7.0%, respectively of the non-cooperative areas while the large farmers represent only 13% and 3.0%, respectively of the two areas. On average 52.0%, 38.0% and 10.0% of the total farmers were under small, medium and large land category respectively. Farmers of both the areas had no considerable differences in their level of literacy and on average 37.0%, 25.0% and 23.0% had literacy level of ≤primary school, ≤secondary school certificate (SSC) and≤ higher secondary certificate (HSC), respectively. Out of the rest 14.0% were under the category of knowing to sign on their name and 3.0% were illiterate. Agriculture was the major occupation for the majority (71.0%) of the farmers and the rest 12.0%, 13.0% and 1.0% had job, business and other income sources in addition to agriculture.

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