Page 31 - Think Grain Think Feed - April'25

www.benisonmedia.com ARTICLE conditions, resulting in such as grasses, legumes, and 3. Economic Pressures on 4. Strategies for Support www.benisonmedia.com

Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 11 | Issue 6 | April 2025
Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 11 | Issue 6 | April 2025

this trend.
further strained dairy farm
crop residues. Climate
reduced feed intake,
profitability.
Subsidies and
o
lower milk yield, and
change—through erratic
Adaptation and
Incentives:
rainfall patterns, rising
impaired reproduction. In
Mitigation
Smallholder Farmers
temperatures, and frequent
regions like northern and
for climate-resilient
India's dairy industry is
·
central India, where
droughts—threatens the
technologies and
change impacts on dairy
largely made up of Addressing climate Government support
summer temperatures can supply and quality of these farming requires a multi- inputs can ease the
smallholder farmers with
exceed 40°C, the effects feed sources. pronged strategy financial burden on
limited livestock and
are more severe. · Decline in Forage minimal resources. These involving improved small holders.
· Studies (Mader et al., Quality and Quantity farmers are especially farming practices, animal o Education and
2006) indicate that milk In drought-prone states vulnerable to climate management, and policy Extension Services:
production may decline like Rajasthan, change support. Farmers need access Introducing silvipasture
by 10–30% due to heat Maharashtra, and Gujarat, · Rising Costs and · Climate-Smart to training, early systems (integration of trees
stress. Cows also show changing monsoon Reduced Incomes Agricultural Practices warning systems, and grasses) and promoting
behavioural changes, such patterns have led to o Diversified Feed and information on drought-resistant fodder
Increased expenses for crops can improve
as increased resting time declining fodder Sources: Growing climate-smart
feed, water, and veterinary
and reduced grazing, availability. Chakravarty et drought-resistant practices and productivity in this zone.
care are cutting into
which leads to lower food al. (2020) observed that already-thin profit fodder crops such as sustainable resource 2. Central Plain Zone
intake (Singh et al., 2019). repeated droughts are margins. Singh et al. Napier grass and management to Districts Covered: Ludhiana,
Elevated cortisol levels shrinking grazing lands, sorghum can reduce make informed Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Patiala,
(2019) estimated that
from stress negatively forcing farmers to rely on reliance on rain- decisions. Sangrur, Barnala, and parts of
climate-related losses in
affect reproduction, expensive feed sensitive forages. Amritsar and Fatehgarh Sahib
productivity and rising Agro-Climatic Zones of
causing delayed estrus alternatives. o Water Management: Topography: Flat, fertile
costs could reduce small Punjab and the Fodder
and higher stillbirth rates Moreover, elevated farm incomes by 15–25%. Implementing Scenario plains are ideal for intensive
· Animal Health and temperatures reduce Additionally, irrigation- rainwater harvesting Though geographically small, agriculture
Disease Risks forage quality by dependent fodder crops and water-saving Punjab exhibits diverse agro- Soil Type: Rich alluvial soils
Heat stress compromises degrading nutrient irrigation systems climatic conditions that Rainfall: 700–1000 mm
are being affected by
the immune system, content and increasing can help secure significantly impact cropping
water scarcity, escalating Fodder Scenario: This zone
making animals more indigestible fiber, thereby water for both crops patterns, soil types, and the
local tensions over water is the most suitable for
susceptible to diseases compromising dairy and livestock. availability of fodder. The
usage and threatening fodder cultivation. Major
such as mastitis, animal health, long-term sustainability. · Improved Animal state is divided into three fodder crops include
respiratory infections, and productivity, and milk Management primary agro-climatic zones,
· Threats to Food Security berseem, maize, bajra, jowar,
foot rot. Ghosh and Samui yield. o Heat Stress each with distinct and oats. Due to abundant
Milk remains a vital source
(2020) found that stressed · Rising Dependence on Mitigation: Providing characteristics and fodder- irrigation and fertile soils,
of nutrition for many
animals are at increased Commercial Feeds shade, ventilation, related challenges: dairy farming is highly
Indians, especially in rural
risk of infections, and cooling systems
With natural forage areas. Disruptions in milk 1. Sub-Mountain concentrated here.
escalating veterinary becoming scarce, many production can lead to like fans or mist Undulating Zone 3. South-Western Dry Zone
treatment costs. farmers are switching to supply shortages and sprayers can reduce Districts Covered: Parts of Districts Covered: Bathinda,
Additionally, rising thermal stress in
commercial feeds, which price hikes, making dairy Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, and Mansa, Fazilka, Muktsar, and
temperatures and altered animals.
are often costly and not products unaffordable for Rupnagar parts of Ferozepur and
rainfall also promote o Climate-Resilient
easily accessible to low-income households. Topography: Rolling terrain Faridkot
vector-borne diseases Breeds: Indigenous
smallholder farmers. This poses a serious food at the base of the Shivalik
such as foot-and-mouth Climate change also security risk, particularly cattle breeds such as Topography: Arid to semi-
disease and bluetongue. impacts global grain for children and other Gir, Sahiwal, and hills arid with salinity and water
ICAR reports highlight the Kankrej are naturally Soil Type: Light-textured, logging issues
production, leading to vulnerable groups. While
growing risk by increased more heat-tolerant erosion-prone Soil Type: Sandy loam to
price volatility and supply the National Dairy
mosquito and tick activity and disease- Rainfall: 1000–1200 mm loamy; often saline
issues. Kumar et al. (2018) Development Board
in hotter regions. resistant. Chauhan et (highest in Punjab) Rainfall: 300–500 mm
noted that fluctuating (NDDB) notes a steady
al. (2020) advocate
2. Impact on Forage and grain prices linked to rise in per capita milk Fodder Scenario: While (lowest in Punjab)
for focused breeding natural grasses are present,
Feed Availability weather events in consumption, future Fodder Scenario: Fodder
programs to cultivated fodder is limited
India's dairy sector relies exporting countries have climate-related scarcity is a serious concern.
enhance resilience. due to the uneven landscape.
heavily on natural forages increased feed costs and disruptions could reverse Traditional grasses like sewan
· Policy and Institutional
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