Dairy sector’s current feeding problems and their solutions

Current Feeding Problems in Pakistan’s Dairy Sector

1. Low-Quality Roughages and Seasonal Fodder Shortage
   • The majority of small and medium dairy farmers rely heavily on green fodder and crop residues like wheat straw, which are often low in protein and energy.
   • Seasonal variations cause feed scarcity during extreme summers and winters, affecting milk yield and animal health.
2. High Feed Costs
   • Concentrate feed ingredients like maize, soybean meal, and oil cakes are becoming expensive due to inflation and import dependency.
   • Many farmers reduce concentrate feeding to cut costs, leading to undernourished animals.
3. Poor Feed Formulation Practices
   • Lack of scientific feed formulation results in imbalanced rations, either deficient or excessive in nutrients, which affects productivity and reproductive performance.
4. Adulteration and Quality Issues
   • Contamination with aflatoxins, pesticide residues, or adulterants in commercial feed compromises animal health and milk safety.
5. Inadequate Knowledge and Advisory Services
   • Farmers often lack training in modern feeding techniques, nutrient requirements, and feed conservation methods.

Proposed Solutions

1. Fodder Conservation and Silage Making
   • Promote the use of maize, sorghum, and berseem silage to ensure year-round availability of high-quality forage.
   • Encourage community-based silage units for small farmers.
2. Use of Unconventional Feed Resources
   • Incorporate agro-industrial by-products like mango seed kernel meal, sugarcane bagasse, and date pits after detoxification to reduce feed costs and pressure on conventional grains.
3. Balanced Ration Formulation
   • Implement farmer training programs on Total Mixed Rations (TMR) and nutrient balancing based on animal requirements.
   • Provide mobile feed analysis units at district levels.
4. Feed Quality Regulation
   • Enforce strict quality control standards for commercial feeds, focusing on aflatoxin limits, nutrient specifications, and adulteration prevention.
5. Digital Advisory Platforms
   • Develop mobile apps or helplines for farmers to get instant guidance on feeding schedules, ration composition, and cost-effective practices.