Agronomic interventions for production and preservation of quality maize (Zea mays L) fodder - A review

Abstract

Maize is used as animal fodder throughout the world and considered as ideal forage because of its quick growing habit, produces high palatable biomass and helps to improve body weight and milk quality in cattle due to its higher nutritional value. Production potential of forage maize can be altered with changes in agronomic practices viz. selection of cultivar, planting density, weed management, nutrient management, corn-legume intercropping etc. Maximum productivity of quality green fodder can be achieved by exploring best agronomic practices for its cultivation. Under conventional feeding system, farmers practice’s daily cutting and carrying of fodders for feeding to the livestock is laborious method and also results in increase in lignin content of fodder crop with maturity, thus requires more energy to digest, effecting net energy balance of the animals. Corn silage production has been seen to suffice all these factors which can help in managing round the year fodder availability for dairy animals. The production of quality corn silage depends upon number of agronomic factors such as selection of cultivar, stage of harvesting, method of storage, corn-legume mixture silage etc. Keeping these points in view, the literature pertaining to agronomy of cultivation of fodder maize and its preservation, to obtain higher biomass of quality fodder and silage has been reviewed.