Forage preservation technology for sustainable livestock industry in rainfed areas of Pakistan: A review

Abstract

Livestock also acts as a bank to meet their daily needs, but the scarcity of quality forage in rainfed agriculture is a limiting factor for livestock. Due to severe shortage of forage, animals remain under-nourished, and thus subject to poor health and productivity. Forages are natural and the cheaper feeding choice for livestock, but their continuous supply in rainfed areas, especially during severe winters (December-January) and summers (May-June), often remains a bottleneck for the development of the livestock industry and hence adequate availability of livestock products in these months. Consequently, prices of livestock products often become high during these months. Silage and hay making using balers is a viable option when plenty of fodder is available in peak season of crop especially in July-August and in February-March.