Are you planning for planting fodder tree? Wait a minute, read carefully and take step forward. One should look at following criteria while selecting any fodder crop
· Prevent nutrient loss from the soils: because of their permanence, fodder trees help to prevent nutrient losses
· Have little or no need for irrigation: fodder trees can tap deep water tables out of the reach of short-rooted pastures. Some species in dry or marginal areas may need a little irrigation only until they are established
· Provide yields of edible components comparable to pastures: most trees and shrubs suitable for fodder have yields reported to be several times higher than pastures grown in comparable areas
· Have the ability to fix nitrogen to reduce the dependence on artificial fertilizers: most legumes, and some other species such as casuarinas, fix atmospheric nitrogen by use of bacteria and convert it into nitrates that the plants can use, removing all dependence on nitrogenous fertilizers
· Have a high protein content in their edible portions: as many of the trees and shrubs suitable for fodder are legumes, the protein content will be high - often around 20 to 25 percent, comparable to Lucerne
· Provide their feed in a short time: the possible yields from fodder trees and shrubs could be three or five or more times the yield per year than from pastures.
· Be fuel efficient, that is, they should require little input in the way of fossil fuels: as the trees, once established, are permanent features on the farm, there will be no need for annual cultivation of the soil, and no further requirements for machinery.
· Prevent nutrient loss from the soils: because of their permanence, fodder trees help to prevent nutrient losses
· Have little or no need for irrigation: fodder trees can tap deep water tables out of the reach of short-rooted pastures. Some species in dry or marginal areas may need a little irrigation only until they are established
· Provide yields of edible components comparable to pastures: most trees and shrubs suitable for fodder have yields reported to be several times higher than pastures grown in comparable areas
· Have the ability to fix nitrogen to reduce the dependence on artificial fertilizers: most legumes, and some other species such as casuarinas, fix atmospheric nitrogen by use of bacteria and convert it into nitrates that the plants can use, removing all dependence on nitrogenous fertilizers
· Have a high protein content in their edible portions: as many of the trees and shrubs suitable for fodder are legumes, the protein content will be high - often around 20 to 25 percent, comparable to Lucerne
· Provide their feed in a short time: the possible yields from fodder trees and shrubs could be three or five or more times the yield per year than from pastures.
· Be fuel efficient, that is, they should require little input in the way of fossil fuels: as the trees, once established, are permanent features on the farm, there will be no need for annual cultivation of the soil, and no further requirements for machinery.
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