Feeding, Nutrition and Fodder Production
This domain tests rationing, feed quality, fodder crops and water management. The exam expects you to balance roughage and concentrate, avoid wasteful feeding and plan year-round green fodder.
Core rules
- Dry matter intake is about 2.5–3% of body weight. Roughage should supply about 60–70% of dry matter.
- Provide green fodder, dry roughage, concentrate, mineral mixture and common salt. Water intake is about 60–80 litres/day for a cow, more in heat.
- Common feeds: hybrid napier, maize, sorghum, cowpea, berseem, oat, azolla; concentrate ingredients include maize, rice bran, groundnut cake, gram and mineral mixture.
- Avoid sudden feed changes; introduce concentrates gradually. Never feed urea to young calves or mix it carelessly.
Worked example
A 400 kg cow yielding 12 litres/day needs about 12 kg dry matter (3% of body weight). Give 25 kg green fodder (about 5 kg DM), 4 kg paddy straw (about 3.6 kg DM), and 3.8 kg concentrate (about 3.4 kg DM), plus 50 g mineral mixture and 30 g salt. Concentrate is estimated as 1 kg for maintenance plus 1 kg per 2.5 litres above 5 litres: 1 + (7 ÷ 2.5) = 3.8 kg.
Traps
Do not feed mouldy fodder, excess concentrate, or excessive urea-treated straw. Do not ignore water, mineral mixture or the transition period after calving. Overstocking animals without fodder land is a common planning error.