Page 110 - Agroforestry system - book inner (final corrected) - 9.-3-21_Neat

National level e-symposium on “Agroforestry system for augmenting livestock
productivity and empowering resource poor rural farmers”

Negating the harmful effects of antinutritional factors in fodder

Anti nutritional factors are substances which both by themselves or through their metabolic products,
interfere with feed utilization and affect the health and production of animal or which act to reduce nutrient
intake, digestion, absorption and utilization and may produce other adverse effects ( Akande and Fabiyi,
2010).
Anti-Nutritional factors in forage crops

Anti nutritional /
S.No. Anti quality substances Fodder crops

1. Nitrate Sudan Grass, Pearl millet, Oats

2. Oxalates Guinea Grass, Bajra and Napier Grass Hybrid,
Setaria Grass, Kikyu Grass, Buffel grass
3. Saponins Lucern

4. Tannins Fodder tree/Shrubs
5. Cynogens Sorghum, Sudan grass, Jhonson grass
6. Mimosine Subabul

Birendra Kumar, et al., (2017)

Chopping of fodder reduces the tannin content of fodder by increasing the contact of tannins with plant
phenolic oxidases, which causes their oxidation (Ben et al., 2005). Ben Salem et al. (2005) also had reported
that sun drying was more efficient than shade drying in reducing levels of condensed tannins in acacia foliage.
The chopping of fresh leaves and then storage can be of practical use to the farmer as it requires only a
minor change in normal farm practices. The leaves instead of being fed on the day they are lopped need to
be chopped and stored for about 5–10 days before feeding. Tannin-binding agents like polyethylene glycol
(PEG) and polyvinyl polypyrrolidone (PVPP) have been widely used as research tools to investigate the in
vivo and in vitro effects of tannins (Singh et al., 2005). Thus, treatment with tannin-binding agents can be
highly effective in overcoming the negative effects of tannins leading to improved animal performance.

It is always advisable not to use a single fodder for feeding animals but rather use a mixture of fodders.
Moreover any new fodder is to be introduced in the ration of the animal in a gradual manner, as this will enable
the rumen microbes to get adapted to the new fodder and also there is a possibility that the antinutritional
factors will get degraded in the rumen.
Total mixed ration (TMR)

TMR can be defined as a mixture of both the roughages and the concentrate ingredients, formulated and
mixed thoroughly to form a balanced feed. It can form a sole feed source for a 24 hour period and can be
offered ad libitum for best results. The TMR is a best option for landless and small farmers for feeding their
animals a balanced feed. TMR helps in better feed consumption, avoids feed refusal of unpalatable feedstuffs,
increases the scope for using cheap and bulky by-products available locally, helps in easy monitoring of feed

Institute of Animal Nutrition, Centre for Animal Production Studies, TANUVAS
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development 91