Introduction
The availability of fodder is one of the limiting factors in animal husbandry. Organic husbandry should be mainly based on the fodder produced on the farm itself. As is the case with humans, there is a direct link between the food and the health of the animals.
- Diverse and balanced mixture of food is a pre-condition for good animal health.
- Grazing and shed feeding both have their advantages as well as disadvantages.
- Fodder cultivation can be integrated into the farm without too much competition with crop production.
- Overgrazing is a major threat to soil fertility.
Food requirements of animals
If farm animals are to be productive (milk, eggs, meat etc.), it is important that they get suitable food in sufficient quantities. If the fodder production of one’s farm is limited (which usually is the case), it might be economically valid to keep less animals but supply them with sufficient food. The appropriate quantity and the mix of feed items will of course depend on the type of animal, but also on its main use (e.g. chicken for meat or egg production, cattle for milk, meat or draft etc.). In milk production for example, cows producing milk should be given fresh grass and possibly other feed items of sufficient protein content. On the same diet, draught animals would rapidly become exhausted.
A balanced diet will keep an animal healthy and productive. Whether or not a farm animal receives the appropriate amount and kind of fodder usually can be seen by the shine of its hair or feathers.For ruminants, a majority of the fodder should consist of roughage (grass, leaves). If concentrates or supplements are used (e.g. agricultural by-products and wastes), they should not contain growth promoters and other synthetic substances. Instead of buying expensive concentrates, there are a variety of leguminous plants rich in protein which can be grown in the farm as cover crop, hedges or trees. If mineral content in the available fodder is not sufficient to satisfy the animal’s requirements, mineral salt bricks or similar feed supplements can be used as long as they do not contain synthetic additives.
Fodder Cultivation
Grazing or shedding?
In many regions of the tropics, favourable periods with abundant fodder alternate with less favourable periods when there is almost nothing to feed to the animals. But keeping animals means providing fodder throughout the year. Fodder can be produced on the farm as grazing land or as grass or tree crops used for cutting. While grazing requires less labour than shed feeding, more land is needed and appropriate measures to keep the animals away from other crops must be undertaken. Grazing may lead to a lower productivity (milk, meat) but usually is the more favourable option concerning health and welfare of the animals. Shed keeping, however, has the advantage that the dung can be easily collected, stored, or composted and applied to the crops. Whether grazing or shed feeding is the more suitable option will mainly depend on the agro-climatic conditions, the cropping system, and the availability of land. A combination of shed feeding and grazing in a fenced area may be an ideal combination of high productivity and animal friendly husbandry. In extensive grass lands of semi-arid areas, however, grazing may be the only suitable option.
Integrating fodder cultivation in the farm
In most smallholder farms, fodder cultivation will compete for space with the cultivation of crops. Whether fodder cultivation (and thus animal husbandry) is economically more beneficial compared with crop production must be assessed case by case. However, there are some options for integrating fodder crops in farms without sacrificing much land. Below are some examples:
- Grass or leguminous cover crops in tree plantations
- Hedges of suitable shrubs
- Shade or support trees
- Grass on bunds against soil erosion
- Grass fallows or green manures in the crop rotation
- Crops with by-products such as paddy straw or pea leaves
Pasture management
The management of pastures is crucial for a good herd management. It is also important to practice appropriate management throughout the year. There are many different types of grasses, and every climatic region has grasses which are specifically adapted to the conditions. In some cases it may be worth considering to till the grazing site and sow grass varieties that are more appropriate to the animal’s needs.
Overgrazing is probably the most significant threat to grass land. Once the protective grass cover is destroyed, the top soil is prone to erosion. Degraded pastures or land with little plant cover is difficult to re-cultivate. Therefore, it is important that the use and intensity of grazing on a particular piece of land is appropriate to its production capacity. Sufficient time must be given to a pasture to recover after intensive grazing. Fencing off of areas and rotation of the grazing animals on several pieces of land is a suitable option. This will also reduce infection from parasites encountered while the animals graze.
The intensity and timing of grazing as well as the cutting of the grass will influence the varieties of plants growing in the pasture. If certain weeds are a problem, the organic farmer will have to change his management practises as herbicides can not be used.
Rehabilitation of pastures
Rehabilitate pasture land with improved grass varieties and legumes for higher yield, higher nutritive value and palatability. Grasses can be transplanted or grown from seed. Legume seeds are sown between grass lines. Multipurpose trees can also be planted to provide fodder, fuel and timber.
Fodder and pasture production (for ruminants)
Dairy cattle are ruminants, whose production all over the world are primarily based on forages, with tropical countries invariably leading in heavy reliance on forages and crop residues throughout the year. For instance, majority of dairy herds on smallholder farms in Kenya, largely depend on natural tropical grass pastures and crop residues for nourishment. Kenya and indeed the whole of East African region is widely recognized as the home for many important forages.
Pasture leys and fodder (forage) crops are either annuals, perennials, or permanent crops. They are cultivated on arable land and are grazed or cut and fed to the livestock either green or conserved in the form of hay or silage. They are usually grown in rotation with cultivated cash crops. Their high productivity and quality per unit area makes them appropriate for small-scale farmers because they provide them with
(a) Immediate feeding material for the livestock especially in a zero-grazing system.
(b) Surplus material which can be conserved in form of hay or silage for dry season feeding. The role played by pasture legumes as a feed should also be emphasized because of their high protein content and the fact that they fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil. Table 2 shows major pasture leys and fodder crops suitable for different Kenyan Agro-ecological zones.
It is advisable to make a feeding plan which covers the whole year with allowances for missed rainy seasons. This means storing hay, straw, silage whenever it can be available. Good quality and well stored feed always comes in handy when the rains delay or fail. Such feeding plans will depend on the agro-ecological zone where animals are kept.
