180/22 | Review Article | Livestock Production Management
Dryland Livestock Rearing Relies Heavily on Tree fodders: A Narrative Review
Manuvanthra A, Deepak Chandran, Talha Bin Emran, Muhammad Aslam M K, Vishnu Savanth V, Manoj Kumar, Rohit Sharma, Luiz Everson da Silva, Pran M, Lishma N P and Sureshkumar RAmrita School of Agricultural Sciences, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India – 642109
Published in the Indian Veterinary Journal October 2022 : 99 (10) - pages 7 to 15(Received: , Accepted: )
Abstract
Forage crops that are easy to maintain, more effective, drought tolerant, and supportive of dryland agriculture in arid and semi-arid areas of the world are now more likely to be prioritized. Dryland agriculture benefits from the unique characteristics of tree fodders such as it’s deeper root structure, low water requirement, and capacity to endure harsh climates. Additionally, the quality of the feed provided by fodder trees has been determined to be more nutritious than those received from other sources. It is also crucial that these fodder trees continue to supply the cattle with fodder even if other crops are impacted by drought and water constraint. This review paper provides significant information upon various important tree fodders that could be used for livestock rearing in dryland areas.
Key Words: dryland agriculture, livestock, tree fodder, water scarcity, crop productivity, soil fertility