Summary
Dry season feed shortages are a widespread constraint in semi-arid regions. This project aimed at applying laboratory feed evaluation to identifying methods of alleviating feed scarcity in N W India. The project monitored livestock to obtain information on diet and grazing behaviour, and obtained feed samples for laboratory evaluation to augment literature information on nutritive value.
Monitoring data enabled contrasts to be identified between the diets and management of goats belonging to commercial milk producers and subsistence tribal goat keepers in Udaipur District, and also comparisons to be made with milk producers in Bhilwara District. Lack of access to good quality feed was a constraint in the dry season, particularly for tribal goat owners. There were general similarities in goat management for milk producers in Udaipur and Bhilwara Districts, although differences were found in the make up of the goats' diets due to differences in feed availability.
Specific recommendations based on the laboratory and monitoring data were identified. For Bhilwara District, protein-deficient cactus should be supplemented with protein-rich feed, such as tree pods. Parallel "cluster" project R6953 has researched pod storage and use as feed supplements in this District. Acacia leucophloea pod toxicity can cause the deaths of goats and inhibits the utilisation of this potentially very valuable feed. Toxicity was a problem for tribal goat keepers in Udaipur District and widely in Bhilwara District.
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| Primary Relevance |
Low - High |
| Feeding and Nutrition |
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| Animal Health |
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| Commodities and Markets |
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| Other Husbandry |
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| Policy Relevance |
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Shortage of good quality feed in the dry season, rather than feed shortage per se, is the major feed constraint to livestock production. Strategies for increasing feed availability include feed storage (although there are few traditional feeds available for storage) and increased fodder production. Project R6953 has reviewed case studies on increasing the availability of grazing and improving the management of communal grazing areas as an aid to future project development. Increasing the feed available from the often degraded communal grazing areas is one of the few options with the potential to greatly improve the feed supply for goats in this region.
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