APBN 1 , a variety of hybrid napier was analysed at five stages of harvest (30, 40, 45, 50 and 60 days)
INTRODUCTIONFeed cost constitutes the single largest expenditure of livestock enterprise and accounts for approximately 60 % of total cost of production. The profitability of any livestock enterprise depends upon the managerial practices aimed at reducing the cost of production. Economic rearing of livestock is possible only by high level of green fodder based feeding system because cost of green fodder is lesser than of concentrate feed. Thus, forage plays a major role in the diet of ruminants. Animal performance depends on its ability to digest the fibrous materials. Digestion of forage is influenced by species, variety, maturity, morphological characteristics etc. These factors also influence the total yield, chemical composition and nutrient digestibility which have a direct effect on the animal's performance. Intuitively small differences in fodder quality in forages and roughages can have large effects. Differences of 3 to 5% units in forage digestibility were associated with 17 to 24% differences in livestock production (Vogel and Sleper, 1994). This is the main driving force for forage/crop breeders for continuous efforts to improve quality of forage crops.
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