• The term forages means the plants used for feeding domestic animals.

• This includes both fodder plants and pasture plants.

FODDERS: Plants which are cultivated as forage crops and they are cut and fed to animals in the stalls.

(e.g..Guinea grass,Fodder maize)PASTURES: Grasses and legumes were grown

in pasture lands where the animals are led to graze them.(e.g..Cenchrus, marvel grass, spear grass, cowpea.

Forages can be broadly classified in the two

Groups …CRASSES: Annual: maize,sorghum,cumbu Perennial: guinea grass B.N.hybridsLEGUMES: Annual: cowpea,cluster bean,desmodium Perennial:lucerne,desmanthes

GUNIA GRASS:(Panicum maximum)Place of origin:AfricaDISTRUBUTION:• WestIndies,Jamaica,India(Tamilnadu,Karnatak

a,Andhra pradesh,Maharashtra,Gujarat).• Most popular fodder grass under irrigated condition.It appears to have been cultivated inWest Indies and Jamaica before its introductionto India.

Highly palatable grass,with high dry matter content (15%-20%),free from all toxic principles.

Protein 6-8 percent, with well balanced calcium and phosphorus.

Good soil binder. Harvest can be done once in 30-40 days. Can be grazed,cut and fed used for hay

silage making.Ideal for sewage forming.

NAPIER GRASS

Pennisetum purpureum(elephant grass)

Native of Zimbabwe in South Africa It grows up to four meters with thick growth

which gives its name “elephant grass”. It is said to have been Introduced to india by

about 1915 in Bombay. Perennial grass,protien6-8%,good for hay

making,comes up well in sewage water.

CUMBU NAPIER HYBRID(Bajra x Napier)-BN hybrid(Napier x Bajra)- NB hybrid Cumbu Napier hybrid was the first hybrid,which was produced at Coimbatore followed by PusaGaint Napier at New Delhi further improved types In other states. Propagated by root slips or stem cutting are

very vigorous in their growth and highly adaptable.High yielders, nutritious, palatable, succulent,juicy,Less fibrous fodder. Protien 8-10%.

Rich in protien,can be fed to animals in small quantity(2 to 5 kg/day depending on body

weight). Rich in vitamins.Easily digestable and highly palatable.Combines well with other grasses inmixed or intercropping conditions so a

balanced diet is made.

LUCERNE

Medicago sativa(kudirai masal)• Its called as ‘queen of forage crops’.• Although lucerne has been considered a

plant to Western Asia,there is no evidence of its having been grown in India for more than a hundered and fifty years.

• It entered India from the north west.It gives high yields of excellent feed for livestock and at the same time builds up soil fertility.

CONTI…….• Can be grown for 2-3 yrs in the same field.• Harvest can be taken once in 30 days.• Rich in protien (20%).So seedling limited to

2-3 kg/day legume has to be cut and fed at the time of flowering when it will have high protien.

• Its suitable for hay making.• Rich in calcium,phosphorus and high

carotene and vit.• Lucerne meal used in cattle and poultry feed.

Clitoria ternatea-sangu pushpam. Suited to dry

landpastures,highly self sown crop,grows well withcenchrus seeds and roots have medicinal value,Protien 16-18%.

Highly palatable,nutrition,good for hay making,canbe grown in dry lands mixed with sorghum,cumbuor maize.