Fodder
Green Fodder Cultivation for Dairy: The Complete Guide
A complete guide to growing green fodder for dairy and livestock in India — multicut fodder crops, season planning, seed rates and the best fodder seeds including barseem, lucerne, chicory and fodder bajra.
Updated Fri May 22
For any dairy or livestock operation, green fodder is the foundation of milk yield and animal health — and growing it yourself is far cheaper than buying feed. Varsha Seeds has specialised in fodder for years, and this guide brings together how to plan and grow a year-round green fodder supply.
Why grow your own green fodder
Quality green fodder improves milk production, animal nutrition and profitability while cutting your feed bill. The key is continuity — a steady supply across all seasons — which you achieve by combining multicut crops and seasonal rotations rather than relying on a single crop.
Multicut fodder: sow once, harvest many times
Multicut crops are the backbone of an efficient fodder plot — one sowing yields several cuts:
- Barseem — the premier winter legume fodder; high-protein, highly palatable berseem clover for dairy cattle.
- Rishva (Chicory/Kasni) — premium multicut chicory developed for dairy operations.
- Madhur (Nutrifeed) — multicut forage designed for repeated harvests of quality green fodder.
- Green Gold (Lucerne/Alfalfa) — perennial multicut legume with high-protein biomass and repeated cuts.
- Mili (Sorghum-Sudan Grass) — fast-growing multicut grass for warm-season green fodder.
Season planning for year-round fodder
The art of fodder is the calendar. A simple, reliable rotation:
| Season | Crops |
|---|---|
| Winter (Rabi) | Barseem, Lucerne (Green Gold), Oat (Gaudhan) |
| Summer | Fodder bajra (Vaidi Rajka), Sorghum-sudan grass (Mili) |
| Kharif | Fodder bajra, Sorghum-sudan grass, Maize for fodder |
Overlapping these keeps green fodder available every month of the year.
Seasonal fodder crops
- Vaidi Rajka Bajri — superior fodder pearl millet for multiple harvests; performs in summer, kharif and post-monsoon.
- Gaudhan (Oat) — winter (rabi) oat fodder line for quality green biomass.
Soil, sowing and management
Most fodder crops prefer fertile, well-drained loam, though many tolerate a wide soil range. Seed rates vary widely by crop — for example, barseem needs 20–25 kg/ha while chicory needs just 4–5 kg/ha — so always follow the rate for the specific crop. The detailed method for the flagship winter fodder is in our barseem cultivation guide.
After each cut, irrigate and apply nitrogen to drive vigorous regrowth — this is what makes multicut crops so productive.
The short version
Build a fodder calendar around multicut crops, grow legumes like barseem and lucerne for protein and grasses like fodder bajra and SSG for bulk, and feed-and-water after every cut. For variety choices, see the best fodder seeds for dairy cattle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is multicut fodder?+
Multicut fodder crops are sown once and harvested several times over a season, giving repeated green fodder cuts from a single sowing. Barseem, lucerne, chicory (Rishva), Nutrifeed (Madhur) and sorghum-sudan grass are popular multicut crops.
Which is the best fodder crop for dairy cattle?+
Barseem is the leading winter legume fodder — high protein and very palatable for dairy cattle. For perennial protein, lucerne (alfalfa) is excellent; for summer bulk, fodder bajra and SSG perform well. A mix across seasons gives year-round green fodder.
How do I get green fodder all year round?+
Plan a calendar: barseem and lucerne for winter (rabi), fodder bajra and sorghum-sudan grass for summer and kharif, and multicut crops like chicory and Nutrifeed to bridge seasons. This rotation keeps green fodder flowing through the year.
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