Assessment of Paddy Straw Availability as a Feed Source for Sustainability of Livestock Farming in Guntur, Bapatla and Palnadu Districts of Andhra Pradesh

This study focuses on the availability of paddy straw, a critical fiber source for dairy animals in Andhra Pradesh (AP), with a particular emphasis on the Guntur, Bapatla, and Palnadu districts. These districts represent three distinct irrigation scenarios in paddy cultivation: highly irrigated (Bapatla), rain-fed (Palnadu), and bore well-based (Guntur). Data on paddy straw usage and availability were collected from 84 dairy farmers directly or indirectly involved in paddy cultivation, spanning nine villages (three from each district). The questionnaire data indicated that the main reasons for mechanical harvesting and straw burning were a shortage of labour and high labour costs. The average yield of paddy straw was estimated at 8.75 tonnes/ha for manual harvesting and 3.74 tonnes/ha for mechanical harvesting. On average, dairy farmers feed 6 kg of paddy straw per animal per day, depending on the availability of green fodder and grazing grass. This data was applied to assess paddy straw requirements and availability in three districts and also in Andhra Pradesh based on the data reported by Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Departments. The study found that machine harvesting of paddy results in deficiencies of 53.62%, 60.82%, and 94.83%, while manual harvesting results in deficiencies of -8.23%, 8.58%, and 87.93% in Guntur, Bapatla, and Palnadu districts, respectively. Compared to Guntur and Bapatla, Palnadu faces a more severe paddy straw shortage due to its higher cattle and buffalo population and lack of canal irrigation. Overall, the study estimated that machine harvesting results in an 87.59% deficiency, while manual harvesting leads to a 71.04% deficiency in Andhra Pradesh for the year 2023-24.Given the livestock population in Andhra Pradesh, the current paddy straw shortage and disposal issues necessitate the urgent adoption of alternative strategies to ensure the sustainability of dairy farming.