The Fodder Grass Museum in Thiruvananthapuram showcases different varieties of fodder grass and fodder crops

It mightiness dependable unusual to telephone a tiny crippled overgrown with writer a museum. But the half-acre parcel of onshore connected the premises of the bureau of the State Fodder Farm astatine Valiyathura successful Thiruvananthapuram is really one. It is the Fodder Grass Museum, which grows antithetic varieties of fodder grass, the provender for livestock. The fodder workplace and depository travel nether the Department of Dairy Development.

Over 20 varieties of fodder writer are grown present and this includes those that are/were cultivated connected the fodder farm, located a fewer kilometres distant from the Museum. This is the one-off government-run workplace successful the State and it is from present that forage is supplied to dairy farmers crossed the district.

The fodder workplace was opened successful 1962, portion the depository was launched during 2014-15. Varieties are added arsenic and erstwhile caller hybrid writer are launched. “Farmers and different stakeholders who be our grooming programmes sojourn the museum,” says Fahad M, adjunct director/farm head, State Fodder Farm.

“Para writer and Guinea writer were among the earlier varieties grown astatine the farm. They were yet replaced with high-yielding hybrid grass. All of them are connected show here,” says Binu MD, cultivation adjunct astatine the farm.

Signal writer and Congo Signal grass, some of East African origin, Setaria, Gamba grass, Killikulam, Thumboormuzhi etc are the varieties connected display. They are not grown commercially due to the fact that they are not high-yielding varieties. Farmers similar writer types that regenerate fast, person much macromolecule contented and truthful guarantee much milk.

The hybrid varieties person been developed by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University astatine Coimbatore. The predominant 1 is the Bajra Napier Hybrid grass, a hybrid of bajra (pearl millet) and Napier grass, which has variants specified arsenic CO3, CO4, CO5 and CO6 (CO stands for Coimbatore). “The samples of each 4 are determination astatine the museum, portion CO3 is the predominant assortment cultivated connected our farm. We person planted CO5 besides successful a tiny area,” says Fahad.

Super Napier and Red Napier are the different 2 hybrids contiguous astatine the depository too being cultivated successful a tiny country connected the farm. “They person go highly fashionable with the farmers due to the fact that of their quality,” says Fahad. Recent additions astatine the depository are Dwarf Napier, a variant of CO3, and the Australian Red Napier.

The Kerala Agricultural University has developed 3 fodder writer varieties, Suguna, Supriya and Susthira, and the samples of archetypal 2 are determination astatine the museum. “We are trying to bring successful Susthira arsenic well,” Fahad says.

Besides these fodder crops, fodder trees specified arsenic Agathi, drumstick and Subabul and Stylosanthes, a fodder legume, are besides grown astatine the museum.

Fahad adds that fodder museums are often acceptable up successful universities. This see the College of Agriculture astatine Vellayani successful Thiruvananthapuram, launched successful 2020.

Meanwhile, a origin of interest for the Dairy Department is that the fodder workplace has been shrinking implicit the years. From 131 acres, it has reduced to a measly 9 acres aft portions of the workplace were fixed distant to assorted authorities departments and institutions. A caller lawsuit is 8 acres being fixed for Prathyasha, the level analyzable for 332 fishermen nether the Punargeham scheme, inaugurated past month.

The Department has been giving distant portions from their spot connected the information that alternate onshore volition beryllium provided. But that committedness has not been fulfilled yet.

“There is simply a immense request for fodder writer from crossed the territory but we are incapable to conscionable it due to the fact that of privation of space,” Fahad says. The writer is supplied to dairy farmers successful areas specified arsenic Menamkulam, Manacaud, Konjiravila, Maruthoorkadavu, Karumam, Vizhinjam etc. The writer is besides bought by assorted temples successful the city, similar Attukal temple.

“Everyday 3,600 kilograms of writer is sold, that is 360 bundles of 10 kilograms each. We complaint ₹3 per kilogram from nonstop buyers. The middlemen who bargain from america merchantability it a higher complaint to farmers. We merchantability stem also,” Fahad says.

The cutting starts by 6 americium each time and is packed disconnected 12 noon. Fourteen labourers enactment here. “The writer has to beryllium chopped 15 cms from supra the ground. It takes 30-35 days for it to turn again,” Fahad explains. Sewage h2o from the adjacent Sewage Treatment Plant is utilized for irrigation.

Public tin sojourn the depository and the workplace during moving hours of the Fodder Farm office. Contact: 0471-2501706