CAZRI develops new ‘healthy’ fodder crop
Availability of fodder, especially green fodder, is a major concern in arid regions. To make up for this shortage, the Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), Jodhpur, has come up with a new fodder crop called ‘fodder beet’.
The crop has shown a potential of producing 600 quintal per hectare green biomass in a span of four months, that too, during second fortnight of January to April, when there is a meagre availability of other fodder crops.
The crop is sown between October 15 and November 15. The merit of this crop lies in that this can be grown with poor quality of
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water. The cost of production is hardly one rupee per kilogram of biomass produced.
“Fodder beet has been successfully tested on field in Jodhpur, Pali, Nagaur and Barmer district of Western Rajasthan,” said Dr SPS Tanwar, principal investigator of the project.
CAZRI director Dr OP Yadav said that the crop has a potential to boost the dairy industry in western Rajasthan, for which, support of state agriculture and animal husbandry departments and other stakeholders is needed.
Institute Veterinarian Dr Subhash Kachhwaha confirmed its excellent feed value being rich in energy, minerals and vitamins that can improve health and production of dairy animals in western Rajasthan.