Fodder Crops, Harvesting, and Conservation

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering fodder crop classification, scientific terminology, harvesting stages, and conservation methods (Hay and Silage) based on the lecture notes.

Fodder Crops

Plants grown specifically to yield high biomass and rich nutrients to be used as feed for farm animals.

IGFRI

The Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, located in Jhansi, which is a premier institute for forage resource development.

Kharif Season

The agricultural season in India occurring between June and September.

Rabi Season

The agricultural season in India occurring between October and March.

Zaid Season

The agricultural season in India occurring between April and June.

Leguminous Fodder Crops

Fodder crops such as berseem, lucerne, and cowpea that contain a high average protein content of $2-2.5$ per cent.

Non-leguminous Fodder Crops

Fodder crops such as maize, jowar, and bajra that contain an average protein content of $0.7-1.5$ per cent.

Dhurrin

A cyanogenic glycoside and anti-nutritional factor found in sorghum plants at early growth stages.

Harvesting

The process of cutting and removing fodder crops from a field to optimize the quantity and quality of green biomass.

Sickle

The most common manual tool used for harvesting fodder crops, which must be sharp, curved, and serrated.

Milk Stage

The harvesting time for maize, occurring $60-70$ days after sowing, when the seed head is green and contains milky starch.

Boot Leaf Stage

The maturity stage at which bajra is usually harvested, occurring immediately after flowering.

Hay

Forage crops preserved by reducing their moisture content from about $85$ per cent to $15-20$ per cent.

Curing

The process of drying fodder to reach the appropriate moisture content of about $15-20$ per cent for haymaking.

Silage

Also known as pickled grass, it is forage obtained by fermentation under anaerobic conditions with about $70$ per cent moisture content.

Ensiling

The process of conserving green fodder through anaerobic fermentation.

Silo

The container or structure in which green forage material is fermented to produce silage.

Lean Periods

Specific times of fodder scarcity in India, typically May to July and October to November.

Maintenance

The nutritional requirement aimed at maintaining the health and growth of dairy animals.

Swath

A row of cut crops left by a mower during a single passage.

Windrowing

The process of putting cut herbage in rows for handling, collection, and protection against shattering and bleaching.

Mower

A machine used to cut fodder crops and leave them in a swath.

Baler

A machine attached to a tractor used to compress and compact hay into bales.

Chaff Cutter

A tool used to chaff fodder into small pieces, available in manual or electrical versions.

Sealing

The process of compacting material in a silo to prevent the entry of outside air for a minimum of $60-70$ days.

Sorghum bicolar

The scientific name for Sorghum or Jowar.

Trifolium alexandrinum

The scientific name for Berseem.

Medicago sativa

The scientific name for Lucerne.

Vigna sinensis

The scientific name for Cowpea.

Avana sativa

The scientific name for Oat.

Hordeum vulgare

The scientific name for Barley.

Butyric Acid

A substance whose smell is used to judge the quality of silage.