Animal Nutrition Division, ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Bishnupur, Shillong-793 013, India
Online published on 21 January, 2012.
Five land use systems prevalent in North-East region were assessed for livestock productivity. Of these, first four (W1, to W4) were agricultural systems wherein livestock production generated subsidiary source of income and the last one (W5) was the sole source of income through livestock production.
Crop by-products and raising of fodder from waste areas, such as spaces unutilized in horticulture farming, terrace risers and contour bunds were the systems of meeting nutrient needs of animals in W1 to W4. In W5 bench terrace risers and bunds were used for producing annual and perennial fodders. Excess fodder of rainy season was preserved for use in lean periods alongwith crop by-products.
W1 had no potentiality of producing cultivated fodder. W1, W2, W3, and W4 produced 26.2, 85.5, 109.5 and 49.4q of DM from each hectare of land. DCP production was more from W2 and W4, about 0.:5 quintal more than W3 and 2.5 quintals more than W1. From W1, W2, W3 and W4 TDN produced were 12.6, 44.9, 57.1 and 27; lq/ha respectively. Thus, on the basis of available by-products and forage produced from the unutilized surfaces, W2, W3 and W4 were more efficient than W1 system. W5 had the potentiality of raising 3 beef cattle from 0.5/hectare of the watershed.
