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Milk production costs in ethanol times

Published: August 23, 2012
Summary
The recent history of U.S.ethanol for fuel can be divided in two periods, the last decade of the 20 th century and the first of the current one. During these two decades ethanol production grew by 60 and 780 percent, respectively. Estimated production in 2011 was 13,900 million gallons of ethanol. According to the Renewable Fuels Association (2012)U.S. farmers harvested in 2011 almost 12.4 billi...
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Authors:
Alvaro Garcia
South Dakota State University
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M. J. Saxena
Ayurvet Ltd.
28 de agosto de 2012

The food production system world over requires the total holistic review from the point of Sustainability and to counter the challange of Global Warming Phenomena led Climatic Change causing irratic Monsoon patter leading to either flooding or draught?
Bio-fuel Policy regulations requires sparing crops consumable by Human and using the one which are in surplus and plenty; say for example Cellulosic Ethanol or Non-Edible Oils, foliage crops rich in Proteins and Carbohydrate. Milk Production in India is sustained with Deoiled Rice bran and wheat fodder with non-edible cakes? Offcourse production per animal is low but the cost of per liter of milk production is lowest in the world? Same goes true for eggs and meat. What the world need today is water conservation technologies in Agriculture and Food Production System from Sustaiability of planet and livelihood.
Mohan Ji saxena

Abdulhadi Basaran
28 de agosto de 2012
Dear: Mr A. Garcia; I agree with Mr. Saxena. This is an expected result of intensive animal husbandry. If you want to produce cheap, profitable and plentiful amounts of animal products,you have to feed animals with the crops inedible and evaluated by human without the competition with each others for food. This type of feeding is also compatible with the digestive system of ruminants. Best Regards. Dr. Abdulhadi Basaran Livestock, Veterinarian
Dr.P.George Kunju John
29 de agosto de 2012

Dear All,
It is interesting to note the effect on milk production when Corn was diverted to ethanol production in USA. It is never to be compared with Indian milk production and costing. The statement of Mr. Saxena about milk in India by feeding non edible feed stuff is true. But in fact the milk production cost in India is higher than any developing country. The feed conversion could be noticed very poor. If one examine the feeding regimen in India scientifically it could be seen that FCR is <12. However, no one calculates the costs of feeds except concentrates feed and the labour of the Indian farmers. The establishment of milk marketing system by GCMMF the milk producers are encouraged to produce more milk. Thereby he gets renumeration for his crop residues and his labour particularly his wife. It could be noticed that the technological innovations to produce digestible fodder feeds (treated crop residues) and bypass nutrients feeds with essential micronutrients would go a long way in doubling India's milk production which will always be a support to Indian farmer even during droughts. As long as India is having colossal number of animals and large quantities of crop residues the policy makers will not bother for technology innovations.

Dr.zulfiqar Ali Mirza
29 de octubre de 2012

Can we use sugarcane residue after mixing micro nutrients and making silage as fodder to enhance milk production?

Aniruddha A. Digraskar
29 de octubre de 2012
Yes u can use sugarcane silage with micro nutrients. But the % of silage Should not be more then 36%
Viswanatha Reddy
30 de octubre de 2012
Dear all, Sugarcane tops can be used as it is for feeding upto 45% of fodder. Entire sugar cane is used upto 30% of the roughage along with other fodders. If is fed alone immediately we have to feed other fodder/s. Avoid feeding entire quota of sugar cane in one feeding. Total mixed ration is preferred. This observation is made in Hassan District of Karnataka State. Chitole Dairy in Maharastra do feed sugarcane for their animals in the main campus. Dr.V.N.Viswanatha Reddy
Aniruddha A. Digraskar
31 de octubre de 2012
Yes you can use it after adding micro nutrients
Dr.P.George Kunju John
31 de octubre de 2012
Dear Dr Reddy, Your recommendations are indeed helpful for feeding sugar cane as a fodder. It would be more appropriate if you can support your recommendations on scientific data. Why sugar cane tops are limired ro 45% and whole sugar cane to 30%. What happens if it is fed over to the limits. The sugar cane is a energy rich fodder. Therefore it can be fed over 60% of the ration provided the ration is nutritionally balanced. For incorporating it in TMR the factors like processbility, nutrients density, nutritional standard of TMR etc should be considered. Sugar cane plants are the best to convert solar energy to sugar and starch by photosynthesis it can be used as a good forage. However, etxracting sugar will fetch more income to the farmer than feeding to cattle. Therefore engaging feed technology to process bagasses and sugar tops to produce a digestible fodder feed would be thought better.
Dr.zulfiqar Ali Mirza
31 de octubre de 2012
You misunderstand my view.sugarcane tops are often used and I am not in favor to provide whole sugarcane as fodder as you say it is precious for farmers than other fodders. I want to say after squeezing the sugarcane ,the rest which is oftenly used to burn can be utilized as fodder by making its silage and adding micro nutrients. So in this way this type can be used to enhance milk production.
Dr.P.George Kunju John
31 de octubre de 2012

Dr. Mirza,
The sugar cane residue after extracting the sugar cane juice is called 'bagasse'. It is very poor digestible material. Often the NDF digestibility is seen < 40%. Making silage by adding micronutrients alone will not increase the digestibility. Usually the bagacello - apowder material is seperated from bagasse. The rest is used to burn. Bugacello could be incorporated to make haylage with other fodder including sugar cane tops.

Kasturiraju
18 de diciembre de 2012

Dear sir,
Who will be seperating the bugacello- in india and how much the bugacello cost per ton? The problem in India is all are easy money oriented and do not want to innovate the ideas of cost effective materials in turn which help nature, farmer, nation.
All are money oriented, easy lifestyle ambitious people.
why I am quoting this, we requested farmers not to waste the sugar cane top, paddy hay, ragi hay, maize dry fodder by milching in lands, for that their reason is no man power to cut , supply, chop. Look into our fate nor our country mechanised todo this nor no peoples to do this (in this highest populated nation).

The next question to Mr. sexanaji, ok we are ready to save water with advanced tecnologies but how is it possible with high cost investments and with no power in rural india? Where is the viability for produce of in such way.. expecially small farmers producers?

If our nation, is not going to maintain the equilibrium between rural and urban as well as the advanced mechanisation into the agriculture fields it is going to be hell. Only subsidising the activities pushing peoples to corrupt and centuries behind.

Dr.P.George Kunju John
19 de diciembre de 2012

Dear Mr.Raju,
I hope you are an enlightened dairy farmer from Karnataka. I can percieve your concern about India regarding the policy matters. But look at dairy cooperative movement brought out by Dr. Kurien. Amul was developed with the farmers participation and without any fund from the Govt. He set up a modern feed plant in Anand to process balanced cattle feed. Unfortunately when the model was replicated in India the large professionals in dairy field could not accept the model technically. When t was told that milk production is possible with out sparing land for cow they laughed at. The western scientists supported them. Eventually the whole program crippled. Your question of where in India bagasselo is seperated is teritenant. More than the cost. The siaf professionals developed village models and send advices to farmers and finally lost in files. Farmers will adopt the technology if provided to them in the form of product. Bottom line is the famers organisation should come forward to set up the units to maufacture the feeds of advanced technology. None of the professionals/scientists may be able to help you. Self help is the best help.
Dr John

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