Analysis of straw and stover of different crops as a livestock feed by the farmers.

摘要

The preference of farmers in using various crop residues (kharif sorghum stover, rice straw, Panicum sumatrense millet straw, rabi sorghum stover, maize stover, Heteropogon khadda and wheat straw) as livestock feed was surveyed in Karnataka, India, from 1999-2001. The farmers based straw quality on its acceptability and intake. It was shown that millet straw was the most preferred feed, followed by rabi sorghum stover, khadda, wheat straw, rice straw. Maize stover was the least preferred feed due to its perceived high wastage and low palatability. Kharif sorghum stover was preferred over rabi sorghum stover since it has superior taste, less wastage percentage, higher juiciness, more leaves, softer leaf sheaths and provides more energy to livestock.