The present article presents the role of fodder production in cattle husbandry sector, the theoretical L practical aspects of
the fodder mass, as well as determined the impact of fodder to cattle breeding and the ways of its estimation. Besides, there were
worked out the recommendations and suggestions on supplying the cattle husbandry sector with fodder in our country conditions.
In the condition of market economy, the developing level of
animal husbandry sector is identified by several economic factors.
Some other factors result in high development rate of the sector.
But, the lack of these main factors impedes possibility of expected
positive results. Particularly, in development of animal husbandry
one of generally accepted and the most important factors is
strengthening feed base of the sector. But it should be noted that, the
points like increasing proficiency of livestock, improving product
quality and declining the product cost price are closely linked with
the issues of improving livestock breed, intensification of through
bred animals and developing levels of veterinary services. The
chances of fully usage of biological thoroughbred cattle can be
obtained through feeding the livestock with fodder of good quality
[1]. The biological purity of cattle of any breed is achieved only by
proper feeding condition rich in sufficiently nutritional content and
all components. Today in our republic the manufacturing of cattle
products is mainly under control of private sector. At present days
the tasks for further development of cattle purity and heritability
peculiarities are required to be implemented widely.
However, private farming units by its size may cause difficulties
for operation of breeding with heritability on industry basis. In
its turn the possibility of radical increase in demand for dairy and
meat products is limited, in the republic where these products are
in wide demand. When we studied the content of daily diet ration
of the dairy stock in farming units, our monographical observations
showed that in some regions rich feeding value of cattle diet ration
does not correspond with principles of cattle feeding. Apparently,
roughage (mostly grain straw) makes the main part of diet ration
even if the cattle is bred for milk and meat in farming units. And this
case is one of the factors that can decrease productivity of livestock
farming. Moreover, there is another organizational-economical
problem in animal husbandry sector of our republic which is not
viewed thoroughly. Sometimes farming units’ managers or farmers
say that they have some numbers of cattle and in order to increase
the herd quantity and to feed them daily they don’t have enough
land for growing and producing feed. It is true, of course, because
effectively and intensively used agricultural land areas are limited
not only in our country but also in the world [2]. Shortage of
effectively used land areas in agriculture is an ancient and long-life
problem of human. This problem may increase the two growing
of population and demand for food in future. But there is another
side of the problem which must be considered. And how can it be
viewed?
There are possibilities of land areas for animal husbandry
sector where feed is grown and harvested, or stock is reared in each
household farm, district or region, and possibilities for purchasing
feedstock exist. These possibilities are seemed to be predicted. It
means that feed production volume can be considered beforehand
in each farm and, it doesn’t require deep knowledge on farming.
Furthermore, in regional and even in republican level these points
are predicted on counting basis. Consequently, possible points
can predetermine the amount of feed production areas (separate
farming units, farms, district sand regions). At the same time the
required feed amount per head is identified basing on norms and
considering pure-brad (productivity) peculiarities of livestock.
In this way the quantity of cattle is counted to be reared on the
farm. Excessive number of stocks over calculation is economically unprofitable. Because, shortage of feed, results the waste of
productivity of milk and meat. In other words, the feed is used for
cattle only to maintain their physiological weight not to increase
meat or milk prolificacy [3]. Now we’ll see another side of the
matter, due to lack of food, stock cannot gain enough weight, as a
result prolificacy indication is low in calf producing in recent years.
It means that money spent in this sector does not bring profit and
is in waste. Low feed supply level reflects in low productivity of
cattle. Today increasing milk production capacity is a prior task in
our republic. But increase in milk production capacity should be
done at the expense of productivity not increasing number of heads
of stock.
Meeting the needs of people in our country for milk and dairy
products depends on developing measures for farms. Priorities
on developing the sector are growing productivity of livestock,
creating feed base and improving the quality of veterinary service.
The problems in formation of sale system of dairy products made in
farming units, difficulties in drawing investments on implementing
unwasteful technologies for reprocessing system of milk in rural
areas are impeding in development of animal husbandry sector [4].
Therefore, without improving the breed or strengthening fodder
base high productivity cannot be obtained. For high productivity it
is required to improve regularly the breeds, to work out artificial
insemination system of cattle in household, to provide veterinary
and zootechnics service system of high quality. Strengthening
fodder base of animal husbandry and improving cattle breeds are
connected with each other, they cannot be effective separately and
they are main factors which serve for one aim. When we follow
these factors of development, we can see considerable positive
changes in the development of cattle-breeding sector.
In order to maintain positive changes, it is required to keep
correspondence of possibilities of producing livestock quantity
and their products capacity with possibilities of fodder producing,
fodder purchase and sale of cow products. There is no doubt that on
stock farms (district, region or economical areas) “planning quantity
of cattle heads is done basing on amount of fodder producing”. It
is fact, and not counter current. Cattle-breeding farms (farming
units) usually try to find fodder for cattle, only after increasing
number of livestock heads (by purchasing them or keeping for
rearing). Although they can find enough fodder, mostly its content
is not considered carefully or there is no possibility to find other
necessary components to make its content rich in nutrients which
are based scientifically. In shortly saying “farmer feeds the cattle
with any diet that he can find, but not with proper diet required on
scientifical basis”. In case of shortage of fodder for current cattle,
farmer feeds 2-3 cows with the feed of one cow. According to this,
we can say that, high productivity indication is not guaranteed.
Hereby we must clarify that there exist two parts of fodder mass
required for cattle-breeding by theoretical and practical point of
view (Figure1): The first part - it makes fodder mass for maintaining
physical state of cattle (conventionally called as “physiological
feed”). “Physiological feed” amount usually constitutes 1,0 kg of
feed unit per 100 kgs of cattle in a day. The second part - it makes
fodder mass for formation of livestock products (conventionally
called as “Productive feed”). It is obvious that any reduction in
fodder amount firstly occurs at the expense of “productive feed”
and directly affects to decrease in prolificacy of the cattle. This rule
is of great importance not only in total amount of fodder required
for cattle, but also in its component structure.
Figure 1: Methods of research.
Proportionality in feed lessening and productivity in animal
husbandry sector [Source: Worked out by author]. For example,
38-42 center feed units are required for a cow which can give
3500-4000 liters of milk. The required feed unit needs to be in
the level of scientifically based norms according to organizational
structure (according to succulent diet; roughage, mixed forage,
micro and macro elements). 32-42 center feed unit can be supplied
with mixture of straw and alfalfa hay which is required for dairy
stock with milk productivity of 3500¬4000 liters. In this way the
intended productivity is not possible. And its result is obvious in
some cases. At the expense of productivity decrease the farmer’s
money spent in cattle-breeding sector is hardly profitable or may
cause a financial loss. Moreover, some farms, especially, farming
units don’t calculate their profit value comparing the value of
material-technical resources spent in livestock-breeding sector
with profit amount.
According to our account “productive feed” amount makes
75% of total feed amount, “physiological feed” makes 25% of total
feed amount. So, there is a direct link between decrease in feed
amount required for cattle and in running the cattle productivity
down. Decrease in feed amount for 1,3 % brings on decrease in
cattle productivity for 1,3 %. It should be stated that feed amount
decrease occurs in “productive feed” and it effects productivity
also. Therefore, stability and nutrient value should be particularly
considered in feeding the stock.
As our monographical observations and calculations show, milk
productivity of 1900-2000 liters in present day cattle-breeding is
below the norms rate of profit and it causes a financial loss. If we
base on our assumed account, output may bring purposed profit to
farmer only if milk productivity is over 2500 liters in dairy stockbreeding.
Founding on monographical observations we have made
a conclusion of theoretical and practical significance as follows:
«The causes of regular development of cattle breeding sector of
our republic and “moving” livestock breeding sector completely
into farming units and farms are closely linked with financial
significance of output development on family basis in agricultural
sphere».
Family based output in agricultural sphere is durable enough to
economic crisis due to less costs comparing to output in hired labor
(freelance) used condition in family farms labor payment fund is
not available or labor is underestimated. Gross profit of family by
setting output has the same economical value with “business profit”.
Simply saying, the family farm manager does not give a payment
to his or her children and obtains output profit as a property which
belongs to all family. This very case enables livestock-breeding to
move to family-based farming units and farms, and it is likely to be a
reason of regular development of the sector [5]. There is a saying like
“experienced cattle-raiser is never in loss”, and this is true. Besides
it we should always keep in mind our ancestors’ saying like “Cow’s
milk is by its tongue”, it means that there is a direct connection
between feeding conditions of cattle and productivity. Basing on
above-mentioned points the following system is recommended on
providing proportionality among possibilities of increasing heads
quantity of cows, product output capacity and fodder production,
its purchase and sale of products in order to strengthen feed base
of livestock breeding branch (Figure 2).
Figure 2: System of planning the number of heads of cattle and product capacity on the basis of fodder supply level.
In a particular livestock farm (farming unit or farm) or in
an area fodder producing possibility is calculated for livestockbreeding
sector. Here: FS - feed supply,
CFF - feed amount harvested from fodder crop fields, (mo3.6.);
FP - feed purchasing possibility of the farm, (mo3.6.);
OS - other sources of feed storing (mo3.6.).
For livestock sector in the range of calculated possibility of
fodder producing it can be defined that how many numbers of
cattle might be bred on the farm (in particular region) (C). Here:
SN - scientific norm of feed annually required for cattle of
particular productivity according to definite specialty direction
(mo3.6.);
PC - use coefficient of capacity of biogenetical productivity of
thoroughbred cattle.
Firstly, the size and capacity of local markets for cattle products
are detected or required to calculate possibilities of cattle products
sale in other regional markets. Moreover, considered prediction on
livestock-breeding future and its long-life activity.
Besides it, the amount of mixture of leguminous crops such
as soy-bean, corn and others which serve to enrich the content of
cattle diet with protein should be increased on the farms.
a. In application of results and achievements from advanced
experiences, science and technics into cattle-breeding sector, it
is required to care not only about breeding system and artificial
insemination system, but also consider creation of feed supply
system which forms real possibilities for using the feeding
ration [6].
b. If we rely on experiences of countries with advanced
livestock-breeding sector, we found out that one of important
basis of developing cattle-breeding in the republic is to improve
the system of mixed fodder output.
c. It is required to expand the main and rotatory corn crop
areas in order to increase amount of corn in the content of
cattle feed, mainly in mixed fodder, because corn (maize) is of
high nutrient value;
d. Implementation of mechanisms are to be developed for
economically and legally supporting of markets and market branches specialized in selling mixed forage, roughage and
other kinds of feed on the basis of private entrepreneurship in
the regions where livestock-breeding is developed;
e. It is necessary to find possibilities of improving
composition of crop areas on the farms, to work out measures
for increasing amount of fodder crops for 20-25% and also to
grow fodder crops as a rotatory crop in the irrigated areas freed
from grain crops. In order to fulfill this task, it is required to
implement additional supply of water, fertilizers and fuel-oil
materials to farms;
f. By changing the crop fields of the farms where cotton
and grain crops are in regular low yield into fodder crops field,
feed base of stock-breeding sector should be fortified and
consequently it leads increase in soil prolificacy;
g. There is a demand for privileged, long-term credits to
buy tillage technics and fodder crop harvesting technics on
farms and farming units, for mini-workshops to produce mixed
fodder;
h. It is important to develop private enterprises which
provides fodder supply and other resource supply for smallsized
stock farms and farming units situated far from markets;
i. Practical projects and innovative projects are to be
supported on producing micro and macro elements which
are considered to be necessary parts of cattle feed and mixed
fodder on industry basis and enrichment of feed content with
local raw materials by common methods.
In order to fortify feed base of stock-breeding sector the
followings are to be implemented: to create agrotechnical methods
for cultivation of feed crops basing on scientifically based system
and to form scientific supply for producing prolific fodder crops.