3 Review(s)

Alfalfa/Lucerne/Kuthiraimasal (Medicago sativa) is referred to as "Queen of Forages". It provides a high quality of green fodder, improves animal health & milk improvement, semen count, body weight in nature and feed supplementary for off-season. It’s good drought tolerance and well suited to irregular rainfall areas. Also used for Silage and Hydroponic purpose. Crop having more number of branches (12-15) per plant, plant height is 70-80 cm with soft and dark green leaves. It’s having high crude protein (23.5-25 %) & more dry matter percent (18-20 %). Perennial character (8-9 harvests per year). Generally maintain spacing is 40x25 cm (like gap of row to row is 40 cm and plant to plant is 25 cm or 1 feet). Irrigation follows immediately after sowing and life/second irrigation on 3rd day from date of sowing, then irrigate once in 10 days (depending on soil conditions). Seed rate is 6.5-7 kg/acre. Conduct on first harvest 70-75th days after sowing, then subsequent harvest 30-35 days once. It’s also a source of Protein, Dry matter, Calcium, Phosphorus & Vitamin A & D. preferred by Cow, Horse, Mulch cattle, Buffalo, Goat, Rabbit & Sheep. Average green fodder yield is 80-90 t/ha/yr. Note: Good germination at temperature ranges between 15 oC to 34 oC and above 34 oC area farming locations farmer only try to Inter-crop or/and more water facilities having farmers. Seed size are small in nature so farmers should follow, 1:2 (Seed: Sand soil) ratio mix properly then directly sow (Line) to field. Its best for both an Inter-crop like inter-cultivation between coconut tree plants (any orchard) and Pure-crop likes fine field, unperformed/waste land and low rainfall areas (drought tolerating crop).