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Feeding Strategy for Improving Dairy Cattle Productivity in Small Holder Farm in Bangladesh

M. J. Khan
Department of Animal Nutrition, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

K. J. Peters
Institute of Animal Sciences, Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany

M. M. Uddin
Institute of Animal Sciences, Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Dairy animal rearing is an inseparable and integrated part of smallholder subsistence farming system. Dairy cattle production in the country is characterized by low productivity levels due mainly to genetic and nutritional constraints. Unless feeding management is improved these animals may be limited to fully express their potential genetic superiority. It is fundamental approach to provide good quality diets to dairy cattle in sufficient amount to maximize production. Dairying provides women with a regular daily income vital to household good security and family well being. Quantitative and qualitative shortage of feeds and fodder affects the performance of milking animal. Local cows yield on average 1.5 Lit. milk per day against 5-8 Lit. in cross bred cows, require better feeding mainly concentrates, which is not available to the farmers at the affordable prices. But income of farmers can be increased up to two fold (Tk.58 vs 115) by rearing cross bred cows. Since feed cost is becoming the most important factor in livestock production, increasing self sufficiency in feed production will be an important factor in future development programs.

Keywords: Small holding farmers, Dairy animals, Feeds, Feeding system

Location: Department of Animal Nutrition, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

Start Date: 00-00-2008

End Date: 00-00-2008

Program Area: Animal Health and Management

Commodity: Fodder

Objectives:

1. To develop alternate feeding system which make better use of local resource that are available throughout the year.

Methodology:

Dairy animal rearing is a component of farming system in Bangladesh since ancient time. The animal are reared by farmers for milk production and the cow gives birth female calf is used as future milking animal and male calf is used as future bullock for traction, transport and to sale for cash money. Small farmers keep 1-2 milch animals of low genetic production potential. Most of the dairy farms are small holders and are located in different regions of the country with more concentration to north-west of the country. The average family size of the smallholder dairy farms consists of 5-6 persons, where the adult male and female take cares the animals on a part time work in addition to their normal work. In some areas, farmers have built up groups or cooperatives under the brand name of Milk Vita. The cooperatives gives veterinary and A.I. services free of cost and sell concentrated feed to the members on credit. The farms sell their produced milk to the cooperatives at a fixed price on the basis of milk fat percentage. Their debt and credit is cleared every fortnight. With the above system in operation the farmers produce 1.62 million tonnes milk per day. This amount of milk production can cover only 15 per cent of the requirement. In the last few years milk consumption has increased rapidly and linearly with an estimated 1.2% increase annually. Paddy and wheat are the most important cereal crops grown in the country, which occupies 80% of the total cropped area and by- products are fed to the dairy animals. Rice straw is the main roughage for dairy cows, which is low in nutritive value and palatability but it contributes 90% of the roughage feed to animals. The amount of green fodder fed to the cattle each day depends on the time given by the farmers to collect the grass or weeds from roadsides, agricultural land or weeds harvested from the crop fields, rather than the requirement of the cattle. Most of the time of the year, the cattle did not get adequate feed. In the rainy season lush green grass grows in the roadside, embankment and fellow lands, but the farmers can not preserve the surplus green grass because of lack of knowledge, labour and infrastructure. It is left in the field and gets too old, consequently low in quality where the dry matter digestibility becomes lower than 50% and available nutrients do not reach the minimum requirement level of the cow. Dairy farmer are recommended to feed 1 kg concentrate for 2-3 kg of milk yield. Generally, the concentrate feed contain rice polish, wheat bran and oil cakes. Farmers who have low milk production could not afford to buy required amount of concentrate. Under these circumstances, malnutrition induces problems of decreasing milk production and low conception rate. Some farmers maintain 2-3 cross bred cows (crossing local with pure Holstein Friesian and Jersey through A. I.) with milk production 4-6 folds higher than local cattle. These groups of farmers fed concentrate regularly to their animals and grow fodder crops in limited amounts. On the other hand, due to shortage of knowledge some rich farmers fed their cows concentrate adlibitum basis, which makes the animals fatty leads to lower conception rate. The main component of the operating cost of dairy farming is the feed cost. Some available technologies have been applied and demonstrated to farmers at the farm level but the farmers are reluctant to utilize the technologies due to time consuming and botheration of the process.

Source of Information: Bang. J. Anim. Sci. 2009, 38(1&2) : 67 – 85; ISSN 0003-3588

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Considering the important contribution of small holder dairy production to poverty alleviation and food security. Special action programme should be taken for the urgent development of this sector, of which efficient utilization of available feed resources and a comprehensive breeding programme should be given top most priority. Fodder conservation practices, particularly hay and silage making, should be developed in order to enable a stable feed supply throughout the year. Small holder dairy farmer should be trained up with the concept of feeding interventions and use of concentrate and urea supplementation with rice straw.

Knowledge Management: Journal