SOME ASPECTS OF FODDER PRODUCTION THEORY AND PRACTICE

Abstract

The basis of animal breeding in Ukraine is dairy cattle breeding. According to the Department of Livestock Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, the actual state of animal breeding does not correspond to the great potential of Ukraine. Its livestock of the past 20 years has decreased by 3.2 times in all economy categories (Agriculture Minister declared the year 2012 the year of development of dairy cattle breeding in Ukraine). But cattle stock is actively restored in these economy categories therefore it rases the problem of restoring fodder production.

         Fodder production in Ukraine is concentrated mainly in fields. Natural areas, even when using the part of land under the meadows will not change the situation if we do not want to significantly reduce the production of grains, oil and industrial crops.

Analysis and synthesis of literature sources. Field laboratory and industrial experiments. Accounting, observations and analyses made by the methods and techniques of field and laboratory studies described in the relevant literature published in Uman NUH and the Institute of forage NAASU.

 When creating a fodder area - the core of all fodder production, it should be considered that vegetative (green and silage) mass of fodder crops and fodder root crops has a low content of dry matter (from 14-18 to 26-28%). Therefore, it is very unprofitable to transport over long distances (more than 2-3 km). This problem has espesially sharpened in connection with expensive fuels.

It is also important to note that from sprouts (or seedlings) to cutting of forage grasses and other crops for green fodder (winter and spring cereals, corn, cruciferous, etc.) are just 40-60 days, rarely – some more. In this regard, it is important to produce fodder using conveyor method, which probably requires a slightly different approach to evaluation of fodder crop productivity.

         Study and summarize of production data showed that while handling of 30-40 highly productive cows per 100 hectares of farm lands, depending on the area of natural meadows and pastures, and in terms of getting 7.0-8.0 t/ha of fodder units, there should be provided about 30-35% of arable land.

  Fodder production, as a branch of agricultural production requires special attention. Even in terms of relatively high productivity of field crops, % forage basis may be unsatisfactory, if not to pay attention to peculiarities of its creation.

  Fodder basis is fodder area, which includes high-productive varieties and hybrids of forage and grain-fodder crops for intensive production of high-quality green fodder (fresh and artificially dehydrated), hay, silage, haylage, fodder root crops, and some fodder-grains, which should preferably be received in "workshop" crop growing.

industry wastes – pulp, brewer's grain, meal, etc.

  Due to the high transport costs, production of green fodder, silage and root crops should be focused directly at the farms and complexes in forage crop rotation, and get hay (including haylage) at busy fallows of field rotations. An important crop among fallow crops for haylage production is white clover.

  Fodder production in fodder crop rotations should be based on environmentally viable technologies for growing fodder crops using mainly organic and biological sources of plant nutrition.