Comprehension

Types of feed and their importance in animal nutrition

Cattle fodder is essential for maintaining animal health, improving milk yield and enhancing the overall farm productivity. In India, animal feed is broadly classified into green fodder, dry fodder, concentrate feed, preserved fodder and tree fodder, each contributing unique nutrients necessary for balance cattle nutrition. Green fodder provides moisture, vitamins, and digestible nutrients. The examples are bajra-napier hybrids, berseem, lucerne, maize and sorghum. Leguminous fodder like berseem and lucerne are especially valued for their high protein content, which supports milk production and muscle development. Lucerne is also called as queen of fodder. The caution to be taken while using sorghum as green fodder as it contains hydrocyanic acid, especially in the young plans and when cultivated in drought stress conditions. High HCN is toxic to cattle and should be fed only after proper maturation.

Dry fodder supplies essential roughage for the animal health. It includes paddy straw, wheat straw, groundnut haulms and sorghum stover. Though they are low in protein, it provides necessary fibre and is often mixed with green fodder. Concentrate feeds are nutrient dense, which includes oil cakes, grains and bran. These are very significant for high yielding dairy cows, pregnant animals and growing calves due to their high protein and energy content. Silage made from maize and sorghum provides energy rich feed during the lean period.

Tree fodders are traditional source in many regions. Tress like subabul, banyan etc., provide protein rich leaves during dry seasons when green fodder is scarce. Tree fodders also support sustainable farming by preventing soil erosion and offering year round availability.

Question: 1

Which of the following feed gives good amount to vitamins to the farm animals?

Show Hint

Feed Classification & Nutritional Roles:
- Green Fodder: High moisture, rich source of Vitamins (Carotene/Vit A) and digestible nutrients.
- Dry Fodder: Provides bulk, crude fibre, and roughage.
- Concentrates: High energy and digestible crude protein (DCP).
Updated On: Sep 4, 2026
  • Green fodder
  • Dry fodder
  • Concentrates
  • Hay
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Concept:
Balanced animal feeding requires a combination of roughages (succulent and dry) and concentrates to meet maintenance and production requirements.
Green forages are fresh, succulent feeds rich in moisture, carotene (provitamin A), vitamin E, and essential minerals.
The passage discusses the specific nutritional contributions of different animal feed categories.

Step 1: Locating Relevant Text in the Passage:

The passage clearly states in the first paragraph:
"Green fodder provides moisture, vitamins, and digestible nutrients. The examples are bajra-napier hybrids, berseem, lucerne, mazie and sorghum."

Step 2: Nutritional Comparison:

- Green fodder: High in moisture (70--85%), carotene (precursor of Vitamin A), and water-soluble vitamins.
- Dry fodder (straw/stover): High in crude fiber and lignin, but low in digestible protein and vitamins.
- Concentrates: Dense in energy (TDN) and crude protein, but generally low in carotene unless fortified.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Therefore, Green fodder supplies good amounts of vitamins to farm animals, matching option (A).
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 2

Which of the following is a tree fodder?

Show Hint

Common Tree Fodders (Top Feeds):
- Subabul (Leucaena leucocephala)
- Banyan (Ficus benghalensis)
- Neem (Azadirachta indica)
- Khejri (Prosopis cineraria)
- Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium)
Updated On: Sep 4, 2026
  • Lucerne
  • Maize
  • Subabul
  • Berseem
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Concept:
Top feeds or tree fodders consist of foliage, tender twigs, and pods obtained from perennial woody trees and shrubs.
They provide nutritious green forage for ruminants during dry summer months and lean periods when conventional herbaceous green forages are scarce.
The passage identifies examples of perennial fodder trees used in livestock feeding.

Step 1: Locating Relevant Text in the Passage:

In the third paragraph, the passage states:
"Tree fodders are traditional source in many regions. Tress like subabul, banyan etc., provide protein rich leaves during dry seasons when green fodder is scarce."

Step 2: Evaluating the Options:

- Subabul (Leucaena leucocephala): A fast-growing leguminous fodder tree whose protein-rich leaves and tender shoots serve as tree fodder.
- Lucerne (Medicago sativa): An herbaceous perennial leguminous forage crop.
- Maize (Zea mays): An annual cereal grass fodder crop.
- Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum): An annual winter leguminous forage herb.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Thus, Subabul is a tree fodder, which corresponds to option (C).
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 3

Haulm refers to the dry fodder of which of the following crop?

Show Hint

Crop Residue Terminology:
- Groundnut Legumes Potato $\rightarrow$ Haulms Vines
- Rice Wheat Oats $\rightarrow$ Straw (Bhusa)
- Sorghum Maize Pearl millet $\rightarrow$ Stover (Karbi)
Updated On: Sep 4, 2026
  • Paddy
  • Wheat
  • Groundnut
  • Sorghum
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Concept:
Agricultural by-products and crop residues remaining after the harvest of primary economic produce are named according to established agronomic terminology.
These residues serve as dry roughages and supplemental livestock feed.
The passage details specific crop-residue names used for major agricultural crops.

Step 1: Locating Information in the Passage:

The second paragraph of the passage notes:
"Dry fodder supplies essential roughage for the animal health. It includes paddy straw, wheat straw, groundnut haulms and sorghum stover."

Step 2: Agronomic Definitions of Crop Residues:

- Groundnut haulms (C): The dried vegetative above-ground vines, leaves, and stems remaining after pods are plucked; highly palatable and rich in protein ($8\text{--}10\%\text{ CP}$) for cattle.
- Paddy straw (A): The dried stems and leaves of harvested rice (Oryza sativa).
- Wheat straw Bhusa (B): The crushed and chopped dried residue from wheat threshing.
- Sorghum stover Karbi (D): The dried thick stalks and leaves of harvested sorghum or maize.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Therefore, Haulm specifically refers to the dry fodder of Groundnut, matching option (C).
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 4

HCN is found in which of the green fodder?

Show Hint

Toxicity Facts in Forages:
- Sorghum (Jowar): Contains HCN Prussic acid Dhurrin in young/drought-stressed shoots. Safe to feed after 50% flowering stage.
- Subabul: Contains Mimosine.
- Napier grass: Contains Oxalates.
Updated On: Sep 4, 2026
  • Rice
  • Maize
  • Napier
  • Sorghum
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Concept:
Certain forage crops synthesize anti-nutritional factors or cyanogenic glucosides as a defensive chemical mechanism against herbivores.
When ingested, these glucosides are hydrolyzed into free hydrocyanic acid (HCN or prussic acid), which inhibits cytochrome oxidase in animal mitochondria, preventing cellular oxygen utilization and causing acute cyanide toxicity.
Identifying crops containing cyanogenic compounds is necessary for safe forage feeding.

Step 1: Locating Textual Evidence in the Passage:

The first paragraph of the passage states:
"The caution to be taken while using sorghum as green fodder as it contains hydrocyanic acid, especially in the young plans and when cultivated in drought stress conditions. High HCN is toxic to cattle and should be fed only after proper maturation."

Step 2: Biochemical Mechanism in Sorghum:

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) produces the cyanogenic glucoside Dhurrin in its epidermal leaf tissues.
In young plants (less than 50 cm tall or under 35--40 days old) or under drought stress, dhurrin is rapidly hydrolyzed by enzymes into free hydrogen cyanide ($\text{HCN}$).
Fodder with an HCN concentration exceeding $200\text{ ppm}$ ($200\text{ mg/kg}$ dry weight) is toxic and potentially fatal to livestock.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Hence, HCN is found in Sorghum green fodder, which corresponds to option (D).
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Question: 5

Which of the following is referred as Queen of fodder?

Show Hint

Honorary Titles of Fodder Crops:
- King of Fodder Crops: Berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum)
- Queen of Fodder Crops: Lucerne Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
- King of Cereals: Wheat
- Queen of Cereals: Maize
Updated On: Sep 4, 2026
  • Berseem
  • Lucerne
  • Cowpea
  • Stylo
Show Solution
collegedunia
Verified By Collegedunia

The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Concept:
Forage crops of high economic value and exceptional nutritional quality hold traditional honorary titles in agricultural science.
Leguminous fodder crops are valued for their high digestible crude protein content, palatability, multi-cut regeneration capacity, and soil nitrogen-fixing benefits.
Specific titles distinguish the "King" and "Queen" of forage crops.

Step 1: Locating Relevant Text in the Passage:

The passage explicitly states in the first paragraph:
"Leguminous fodder like berseem and lucerne are especially valued for their high protein content, which supports milk production and muscle development. Lucerne is also called as queen of fodder."

Step 2: Evaluating Forage Crop Titles:

- Lucerne Alfalfa (Medicago sativa): Referred to as the Queen of Fodder Crops due to its high crude protein (18--22%), rich mineral and vitamin profile, deep root system, and longevity.
- Berseem Egyptian Clover (Trifolium alexandrinum): Known as the King of Fodder Crops due to its succulent, high-yielding green forage during winter in irrigated areas.
- Maize (Zea mays): Known as the Queen of Cereals.

Step 3: Final Answer:

Thus, the crop referred to as the Queen of fodder is Lucerne, which is option (B).
Was this answer helpful?
0
0