Central Sheep & Wool Research Institute, Arid region campus, Bikaner-334006, (Rajasthan).
A field experiment was conducted for three consecutive years during summer season of 2001 to 2003 to find out the production potential of sorbhum sudan grass (SSG) alone or in intercropping with cowpea under different levels of nitrogen and its response on Sheep in arid region. Mean data of three years revealed that intercropping of SSG + cowpea showed its superiority and produce highest green fodder, (57.06 t/ha) and dry matter (14.17 t/ha), SSG equipvalent yield (59.8 t/ha). net profit (Rs 24915). cost: benefit ratio (1: 2.06), energy ratio (1: 6.88), energy productivity (382.1 gram per MJ) as compared to SSG sale and cowpea sale. Similarly, highest level of nitrogen (40+40 kg/ha.) gave maximum fodder yield green fodder 62.2 t/ha. and dry matter (16.17 t/ha.) SSG equivalants productivity (317.2 g/MJ) over lower levels of nitrogen. Animals maintained live weights during the period of study either fed with SSG hay sole of SSG + Cowpea hay. On the supplementation of cowpea hay with SSG hay intake of DM, DCP, TDN and N retention increased, whereas intake of water significantly decreased as compared to fed with SSG sale.
