Bajra-Napier Hybrid Could Help Rajasthan Farmers Tackle Fodder Shortage

Livestock farmers in Rajasthan face a major shortage of green fodder and concentrate feed, making fodder production an important part of dairy and livestock management in the state’s dry regions.

ICAR’s Central Arid Zone Research Institute has been promoting Bajra-Napier hybrid as one option to increase green fodder availability. The institute reports a 40% gap between demand and supply of green fodder and a 74% gap for concentrate feed among about 30 million livestock in arid Rajasthan.

Feed is one of the largest recurring costs in livestock farming. When farmers cannot produce enough fodder on their own, they need to buy it from outside or depend on crop residues.

This becomes harder in dry regions where rainfall is limited and fodder crops compete with food crops for water and land.

A shortage of nutritious feed can also affect animal productivity. Dairy animals need adequate energy, protein, minerals and other nutrients to maintain health, reproduction and milk production.

For small farmers, even a modest fall in milk yield can affect regular household income.

Bajra-Napier can provide repeated fodder harvests

Bajra-Napier hybrid is a perennial fodder grass developed by crossing pearl millet and Napier grass. It can produce multiple harvests when managed properly.

The crop is used mainly as green fodder for livestock. Farmers can cut the grass and allow it to regrow, giving them a continuing source of fodder instead of planting a new crop after every harvest.

Its usefulness depends on water availability, soil conditions, planting material and management.

ICAR has been studying fodder production systems suited to dry and arid regions, where farmers need crops that can provide adequate biomass under difficult conditions.

Growing fodder on or near the farm can reduce the amount of feed a livestock owner needs to purchase. Farmers can also combine fodder cultivation with crop production. Crop residues can provide additional feed resources, while livestock manure can return nutrients to the soil.

This creates a link between crop and livestock activities.

The approach does not mean farmers should replace food crops with fodder. Instead, they can identify suitable areas such as field boundaries, unused patches or land specifically allocated for livestock feed.

The right balance depends on herd size and the amount of fodder required throughout the year.

Farmers need a year-round fodder plan

Planting one fodder crop is not enough to solve seasonal shortages.

Livestock require feed throughout the year, while fodder availability can change sharply between rainy and dry periods. Farmers therefore need to combine different sources of feed.

Green fodder can be combined with dry fodder, crop residues and suitable concentrate feed. The exact ration should depend on the species, age, production stage and health of the animal.

Farmers can seek advice from veterinary officers, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and livestock experts before making major changes to animal diets.

India’s livestock sector has grown rapidly. Government data shows that indigenous and non-descript cattle productivity reached 1,343.2 kg per animal per year in 2024-25, compared with 927 kg in 2014-15. Average bovine milk productivity reached 2,251 kg per animal per year.

Better genetics, animal health and management all contribute to this increase. Nutrition is another key part of the equation. A productive dairy animal needs sufficient feed to maintain milk production. If feed quality falls during the dry season, farmers may struggle to maintain output.

For this reason, fodder planning can be as important as choosing a breed or improving veterinary care.

Fodder crops need to fit local conditions

Bajra-Napier hybrid can provide large quantities of green biomass, but farmers still need suitable soil, water and management.

It should not be treated as a universal solution for every livestock farm. Farmers need to calculate how much fodder their animals require and compare that with the land and water available to grow it.

For Rajasthan’s arid livestock farmers, the large gap between fodder demand and supply makes local fodder production particularly important. The practical lesson is simple. Livestock productivity depends not only on the animal but also on what the animal eats throughout the year.

For farmers facing rising feed costs or seasonal shortages, growing suitable fodder crops can provide greater control over one of the most important costs in livestock farming.