Pilot program on increasing the availability of quality fodder for dairy production in Bangladesh: annual report. September 2005 - September 2006

Abstract

Dairying is a preferred option for many small-scale farm households in Bangladesh to increase their income and to accumulate assets. Fodder and feed scarcity, which is marked in the lean season, is a major factor limiting milk production on small-scale dairy farms in this country. Finding fodder technologies that complement current cropping patterns, practices and needs for feed with acceptable changes in inputs and risks are keys to satisfying the aspirations of many resource-poor Bangladeshis. Triticale is a human-made cross between rye and durum wheat that has the ability to produce quality green fodder, and then re-grow after first and second cutting to produce grain. It can be grown during the cool Rabi season in existing rice-based cropping systems and has the ability to produce 10 to 12 t fresh weight biomass per ha from two cuts in a season. Its fodder is rich in lysine and tryptophan; essential amino acids for the growth and development of livestock. Considering these benefits, CIMMYT, the Wheat Research Center of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) and the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) have conducted field evaluations in several districts in the existing farming systems that dominate Bangladesh agriculture. The results suggest that farmers can easily harvest good amounts of fresh fodder and some grain produced with low amounts of inputs, including fertilizer and water. Feeding trials conducted by Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) and CIMMYT also indicated that cattle performance (as measured by live weight gain) increased significantly and contributed to higher dairy production. Maize is another multi-purpose fodder and feed for the lean season that is more flexible in planting time throughout Bangladesh and is rapidly gaining popularity. Many countries have been using maize as a multiple purpose fodder and feed crop.