Fodder is the agricultural term for animal feed. Fodder trees and shrubs play an important role in bridging the gap between livestock feed requirements and the low quality and quantity of feeds available to many farmers. As well as providing feed or acting as a feed supplement for livestock, fodder trees and shrubs supply other benefits, such as firewood and erosion control. Fodder trees are either grown in-situ, from seed, and others are planted in nurseries and then transplanted to the field at the beginning of the rainy season. The transplanting method can be more successful than the direct planting - as high as 34 % better, but with a 24 % increase in cost per plant. Benefits of using fodder trees and shrubs as a dietary supplement include improved growth, health and reproductive capacity, and increased milk and meat production, mostly through increased protean uptake. Fodder trees and shrubs can be planted as living fences, field boundaries and in tree/shrub plantations. Popular species include African acacias, and Atriplex nummularia, Cassia petersiana, C. mopane, D. cineria, F. albida, Julbernadia paniculata, P. reclinata, Piliostigma thonningii, Swartizia madagascariensis and Trema orientalis.
Farmers of all categories can use this climate smart sustainable approach to produce both livestock and field crops to obtain improve benefits, improving nutrition for livestock animals, improving soil health, reducing cost of livestock feeding, and as a result increasing income
To effectively carry out fodder tree-shrub production using a nursery environment – a covered or exposed separate planting area, often close to the farm so saplings can be tended easily - consider the following steps:
- Step 1: Identify one or more suitable species for fodder production, looking at suitable climatic, soil requirements, nutritional value and palatability, also considering source-plant (for cuttings) or seed availability.
- Step 2: Take cuttings of up to *1 metre in length from mature trees, cutting at an angle. Cutting should be planted within three days, and if transported, cutting end should be covered in wax or petroleum jelly.
- Step 3: Cuttings should be planted in 10 to 15 cm of soil either directly where they will grow or shallower in polythene planting cups.
- Step 4: Fodder crops should be planted as the rainy starts, providing sufficient water and mobilising enough nutrients to assist rapid growth.
- Step 5: Harvesting is again species specific*, and it is important to determine if drying prior to feeding, affects palatability or nutritional value.
- Step 6: Harvesting frequency should also be determined independently*as plants mature to ensure sustainable production that does not stunt long-term growth and productivity.
- Step 7: The farmer should consider how much fodder needs to be consumed immediately, how much dried as hay, and how much chopped and compressed to make silage.
Length of cutting, period prior to transplantation, and harvest quantities vary from species to species. Seek guidance from an agroforestry specialist or farmers that have experience with the process when selecting species, and how specifically to plant, manage and harvest fodder crops. An important element to understand is the volume of tree or shrub-based fodder each animal will require.
- Franzel, S., Carsan, S. Lukuyu, B, Sinja, J. Wambugu, C. 2014. Fodder trees for improving livestock productivity and smallholder livelihoods in Africa. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability. 6
- World Agroforestry Centre, 2019. Fodder.
- Smith, O.B. 1994. Feeding fodder from trees and shrubs: Better Farming Series No. 42. Food and Agriculture organisation of the United Nations. Rome, Italy.
- Karanja G.M. and C.M. Wambugu 2004. Fodder Trees for More Milk and Cash. Ministry of Agriculture (Kenya)/Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
- Chakeredza, S., Hove, L., Akinnifesi, K.K., Franzel, S., Ajayim, O.C., and Sileshi, G., 2007.Managing fodder trees as a solution to human–livestock food conflicts and their contribution to income generation for smallholder farmers in southern Africa. Natural Resources Forum 31 286–296
- Steven Franzel, S., Carsan, S., Lukuyu, B., Sinja, J. and Wambugu, C.2012. Fodder trees for improving livestock productivity and smallholder livelihoods in Africa. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 6.
Benefits
- Fodder trees and shrubs can be highly beneficial sources of feed and nutrition for livestock, augmenting, or completely replacing traditional grazing.
- Can be utilised when over-grazing has occurred, to allow range land to regenerate.
- Fodder trees and shrubs add vital nutrients to the soil.
- Fodder trees and shrubs can provide other benefits, including acting as living fences, and wind-breaks, as well as supplying firewood.
- Crop rotation is important and fodder crops often act as nitrogen fixers (legumes) as well.
- Fodder crops can also act as cover crops protecting and maintaining soil quality.
Drawbacks
- Growing fodder can be laborious.
- The number of fodder trees and shrubs may be extensive, therefore sufficient land is required.
- Not only does the gathering of fodder require additional labour, but the harvested crop also requires management.
