Ramesh, JBalakrishnan, VSankaran, VM, et al.,TANUVAS2021-08-102021-08-102014https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810171707TNV_BC_FCT_2014_103-106India has one of the largest livestock population in the world and one of its notable characteristics is that almost its entire feed requirement is met from crop residues and by-products; grasses, weeds and tree leaves gathered from cultivated and uncultivated lands; and grazing on common lands and harvested fields. Land allocation to cultivation of green fodder crops is limited and has hardly ever exceeded 5 per cent of the gross cropped area. Hence, the supply of feed has always remained short of normative requirement restricting realization of the true production potential of livestock. For example, the actual milk yield of bovines is reported to be 26-51 per cent below the attainable yield under field conditions, which otherwise could have been realized with better feeding, breeding and disease management.EnglishVeterinary ScienceBook chapter