| SILAGE MAKING: A KEY FOR ECONOMIC DAIRY PRODUCTION |
AK Samanta, S. senani, Atul P. Kolte, Manpal Sridhar and Natasha Jayapal
Animal Nutrition Division
National Institute of animal Nutrition and Physiology
Adugodi. Bangalore - 560030
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Introduction
Dairy animals play a multifaceted role in Indian economy by supplying diversified high quality animal products in addition to the provision of livelihood to the huge population of nation. Green forages are the mainstay of dairy animals because it not only minimizes the cost of livestock production but also maintains a long, healthy and productive life. Therefore, forages are the backbone of livestock production system throughout the world. Since a decade, India rewrites the history of global milk production phenomena and emerged out as milk exporter after the sharp jump of total country's milk production through multifaceted strategies including operation flood, cross breeding, proper feeding management etc.
Although the population of Indian dairy animals is increasing day by day to cater the needs of ever increasing demands of milk and milk products but the priority of farmers for land allocation is restricted towards cereal crops, pulses and cash crops; leaving meager lands for forage cultivation which in turn bring down the average milk production far below the world average. India houses 37.4 million lactating cows (including crossbred and non-descript) and 34.38 millions lactating buffaloes. The estimated total milk production during 2008-09 was approximately 110 million tones; ranking India as a global leader.
It seems India becomes largest milk producer in the world by virtue of livestock number rather than productivity per animals. This leaves ample scope to the Indian researchers, livestock mangers, farmers, planners to accept /take up the challenge to raise the productivity up to the global levels to strengthen country’s milk grid.
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