Page 64 - 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”

season compared to the traditional system. The growth rate of animals from both systems was reported to
be similar. Although crop production was reduced slightly in the three strata system, an economic analysis
of both systems indicated that profitability was higher and risk more widely spread in the three strata system
(Gutteridge R.E and H.M. Shelton ,1994)

Agri silvi System
In this system Trees are planted in cropped areas and their leaves are used to supplement low
quality roughages such as crop residues. The livestock productivity is low in this system. In one study it was
reported that fodder production (Napier-Bajra hybrid grass + Sesbania grandiflora) yielded more dry fodder
biomass and protein under irrigated condition.

It was also reported that among the agroforestry models, Napier-Bajra hybrid grass + Leucena
leucocephala / Sesbania grandiflora as agrisilvi system of fodder production was more successful for irrigated
lands( Bandeswaran et al ,2014 ).

Livestock production in Coconut Grooves

Incompatibility of cattle and coconuts is likely to cause y unacceptable damage to trees or interference
in the management of coconuts

Damage to fronds of young coconuts could be caused by grazing animals and it is usual practice to
keep cattle away from young coconuts until fronds are out of reach of the grazing animals. The time required
for coconuts to grow beyond the reach of cattle varies, but periods of 3-8 years have been mentioned in the
literature . Small ruminants such as sheep have been successfully grazed in 2-year-old coconuts . Damage to
stems of coconut is reported to be minimal although there are concerns over possible soil compaction and
increased erosion that may occur when the under storey vegetation is overgrazed

On the positive side, cattle are important for weed control and this has been the traditional use of cattle
in coconut plantations. Light transmission in the commonly used tall coconut varieties decreases from >90%
in recently planted coconuts to a minimum of around 40% at an age of 5-10 years, and then increases again
with time until the coconuts are due for replanting at age 50-70 years

Grazing can reduce competition from the understorey vegetation by recycling nutrients ‘locked up’ in
the standing biomass. A near doubling of coconut yield was reported by several researchers (Moog and Faylon
1991) when previously ungrazed coconuts were grazed. This was probably only partly related to increased
nutrient cycling. Studies comparing the effect of grazed improved forages with grazed naturally occurring
vegetation on coconut yield vary but often the effect is neutral or slightly positive (Reynolds 1988).

Moog and Faylon (1991) found that nut yield in grazed improved pastures (80-100 nuts/tree/year) was
higher than for grazed natural pastures (30-50 nuts/tree/year).

Negative effects of any understorey vegetation on coconut yield must be expected if rainfall or soil
fertility is marginal for coconut growth, although the latter can be ameliorated by sufficient fertilisation.

Institute of Animal Nutrition, Centre for Animal Production Studies, TANUVAS
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development 45