NUTRITIONAL EVALUATION OF SELECTED FODDER SPECIES FROM WARDHA DISTRICT OF MAHARASHTRA, INDIA
VITTHAL KAUTHALE, SAJAL KULKARNI AND ANJALI NALAWADE
BAIF Development Research Foundation
Central Research Station, Urulikanchan, Tal. Haveli,
Dist. Pune-412 202 (Maharashtra), India
(e-mail : vkkauthale@gmail.com; sajalskulkarni@gmail.com; anjalnalawade@gmail.com)
(Received : 16 August 2017; Accepted : 15 December 2017)
SUMMARY
The present study was carried out to evaluate the nutritional analysis of some fodder plant species in Wardha district. Fourteen fodder species viz., Apluda mutica, Sehima sulcatum, Dichanthiumsp., Themeda quadrivalvis, Spodiopogon rhizophorus, Chrysopogon fulvus, Cleistachne stocksii, Sehima nervosum, Pennisetum pedicellatum, Eulalia fimbriata, Heteropogon ritchiei, Cymbopogon martini, Thelepogon elegans and Stylosanthes hamata were analyzed for crude protein, crude fiber, oil/ether extract, ash and silica content. The crude protein content of the investigated fodder species ranged from 2.81 to 10.17 per cent, the crude fiber content from 24. 56 to 35.73 per cent, the ether extract from 0.59 to 1.01 per cent, ash content from 8.17 to 11.55 per cent and silica content from 3.87 to 7. 47 per cent. Findings of the present analysis indicated that fodder species showed variations in nutrients status before seed maturity stage and local fodder species provided partly required nutrients for indigenous livestock and reduced keeping cost in many folds.
Key words: Fodder species, nutritional analysis, Wardha, Maharashtra