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Cattle Fodder Shortage in Vidarbha: The Growing Crisis of Quantity and Quality
For a farmer who owns cattle, having enough fodder is becoming as important as having a successful crop.
In Yavatmal, livestock owners are selling animals because they cannot afford to feed them. In Washim, a dairy farmer with 52 buffaloes is considering selling almost his entire herd. The problem is particularly serious when even the available fodder fails to provide adequate nutrition.
Across Vidarbha, the dependence on crop leftovers, seasonal grass and purchased cattle feed has made livestock feeding increasingly difficult.
For thousands of farming households, the amount and quality of fodder available can determine whether keeping cattle remains financially possible.
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Traditional Cattle Fodder and Its Importance in Local Farming
Cattle feeding has historically depended on the crops grown in different parts of the region. Farmers growing paddy, sorghum, soybean, and pulses have used the remains of these crops to feed their animals after harvesting the grain.
Grasses from grazing lands, field boundaries and uncultivated areas have provided another important source of feed.
This arrangement has allowed farmers to keep cattle without cultivating separate fodder crops year-round. However, it has also meant that the quantity and nutritional value of animal feed depend heavily on agricultural production.
Cattle require several types of nutrients to maintain their body weight, digest food, reproduce and produce milk. Dry fodder, including straw and crop stalks, supplies fibre that supports digestion.
Green fodder provides moisture and, depending on the plant, varying amounts of protein, energy, minerals and vitamins. Concentrates such as oilseed cakes, bran and processed feed provide additional nutrients, particularly for milk-producing animals.
The importance of these different feed sources is reflected in Maharashtra's livestock-feeding pattern.
The Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute's 2020 fodder development plan estimated that agricultural crop residues supplied approximately 60% of the state's fodder resources. Forests accounted for 10.3%, while permanent pastures and grazing lands contributed 5.37%. Irrigated fodder crops accounted for just 3.16% of the available resources.
These figures describe the state's estimated fodder supply at the time of the study, rather than its current district-wise availability. Nevertheless, they show how heavily livestock feeding has depended on agricultural leftovers.
In the rice-growing districts of Gondia, Bhandara, Gadchiroli and parts of Nagpur, paddy straw has traditionally been an important feed source. In the cotton, soybean and pulse-growing areas of Akola, Amravati, Washim, Wardha and Yavatmal, farmers commonly use different forms of crop residue, including sorghum stalks and the remains of harvested pulses.
A study of Kathani cattle, found mainly in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Gondia, documented the importance of this feeding pattern. The research covered 9,474 animals across 118 villages and found that 74.7% of surveyed cattle owners cultivated fodder for their animals.
Among the commonly used materials were paddy straw, locally known as tanis, and residues from soybean, wheat, chickpea, pigeon pea and other pulses, commonly called kutar.
The study also documented the importance of these cattle to farming households. For many families, animals were primarily used for agricultural work rather than commercial milk production. Their feeding depended on what could be collected or produced locally.
Communal grazing has also been part of cattle rearing in parts of Vidarbha. Research on Kathani cattle documented traditional gathering places where village animals were assembled before being taken for grazing. These were locally known as aakhar in Gadchiroli and gohan in parts of Chandrapur and Gondia.
Such arrangements connected cattle feeding with common grazing land rather than purchased feed alone. Livestock could consume local grasses and other vegetation, reducing the need to obtain every kilogram of fodder from the market.
The importance of crop residues is also evident in historical production estimates.
Maharashtra's fodder development plan, using 2017-18 agricultural data, estimated paddy straw production of approximately 2.98 lakh tonnes in Gondia, 2.85 lakh tonnes in Bhandara, 2.45 lakh tonnes in Gadchiroli and 2.39 lakh tonnes in Nagpur.
Together, these four districts accounted for an estimated 10.67 lakh tonnes of paddy straw. These were estimates of crop residue production, not measurements of how much was actually available or suitable for livestock consumption.
A large harvest does not necessarily mean that farmers have enough nutritious cattle feed. Straw and stalks can provide substantial quantities of dry material while supplying relatively little protein and other essential nutrients.
This distinction has become important as agriculture and livestock feeding have changed.
Farms growing crops for commercial sale still produce residues, but the feed value of those residues varies considerably. Cattle also require consistent supplies throughout the year, while most crop leftovers become available only after particular harvests.
A shortage can therefore develop between cropping seasons, even in districts that produce considerable agricultural biomass annually.
The dependence on this system has been documented for years. A 2015 study of dairy farmers in the region identified the lack of green fodder as the most serious overall constraint among the problems assessed.
More recently, research involving 410 milk producers across Bhandara, Yavatmal, Nanded and Latur during 2022-23 identified shortages of quality feed, high concentrate costs and inadequate green fodder as significant problems.
These studies establish that inadequate cattle nutrition is an older problem rather than an issue created solely by the current drought.
Fodder Shortage in Yavatmal, Washim and Amravati
The shortage of cattle fodder has become particularly serious during the 2026 agricultural season, following inadequate and uneven rainfall across several districts.
In Yavatmal, the district's livestock population was estimated at 8,17,932 animals in October 2026. Their combined fodder requirement was approximately 85,929 metric tonnes every month.
Against this requirement, the district had an estimated fodder stock of 3,35,598 metric tonnes. However, the availability varied considerably between talukas.
Fodder reserves in some areas were expected to last approximately 70 days, while other locations had enough for up to 157 days. Ner, Wani, Zari-Jamni, Arni, Darwha, Digras, Pusad and Mahagaon were among the talukas with stocks estimated to last approximately 90 to 95 days.
The figures demonstrate an important feature of fodder scarcity. A district may have substantial stocks overall while individual areas face much tighter supplies. Transport costs, storage locations and differences in livestock populations can affect how much feed remains accessible to cattle owners.
The fodder requirements also cover different categories of livestock rather than dairy cattle alone. Bullocks, buffaloes, cows and other farm animals compete for agricultural residues and grazing resources during periods of scarcity.
In Yavatmal, the shortage has already affected the sale of cattle. Bullock prices in markets around Kalamb, Ghatanji, Arni and Pusad reportedly declined by approximately 25% to 30% during the current crisis.
A pair previously valued at approximately ₹2 lakh was being sold for ₹1.50 lakh to ₹1.60 lakh. Farmers unable to maintain their animals have been among those selling them.
For cattle owners, the problem extends beyond the current cost of fodder. Selling an animal also means losing the money already spent on its feeding and maintenance. A bullock pair used for agricultural work represents an asset that may have taken years to acquire.
A similar difficulty has emerged in Washim district. In Shendurjana village of Mangrulpir taluka, a farmer who developed a dairy business over three years is considering selling nearly 50 of his 52 buffaloes.
The enterprise produces more than 200 litres of milk daily. However, insufficient rainfall, rising fodder costs and a drying farm well have made maintaining the animals increasingly difficult.
The farmer's feeding expenses include cottonseed cake, a concentrated source of nutrients used in buffalo diets. His operation requires approximately five to six kilograms of cottonseed cake per buffalo each day, alongside other fodder and considerable quantities of water.
Maintaining this supply for 52 animals involves substantial daily expenditure. The value of each buffalo was estimated at ₹1.25 lakh to ₹1.50 lakh.
The farmer warned that his dairy enterprise, "which supports the livelihoods of five to six families, may be forced to shut down permanently."
His experience illustrates the financial pressure faced by dairy owners who depend on purchased feed. A herd capable of producing substantial quantities of milk can become difficult to maintain when fodder availability declines and its price increases.
The situation in Vidarbha has also drawn attention to the competing uses of agricultural residues.
In Amravati, soybean and pigeon pea residues were reserved exclusively for livestock feeding in October 2026, following concerns about inadequate fodder availability during the drought-like conditions. The restriction covers the industrial use of kutar, including its purchase and use by manufacturers of biomass briquettes and pellets.
Agricultural residues have commercial uses outside livestock feeding. They can be processed into biomass fuel, sold to traders or transported to other markets. This creates competition for material that farmers have traditionally used as animal feed.
The restriction in Amravati followed concerns that locally available crop residues could be diverted away from livestock owners at a time when fodder stocks were becoming increasingly important.
The present shortage also has a longer statistical background.
The Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute's 2020 Maharashtra fodder development plan estimated a green fodder deficit of 59.4% and a dry fodder deficit of 31.3%. Concentrate feed availability was also below the estimated requirement.
The same plan estimated that dedicated fodder crops occupied only 3.06% of Maharashtra's cultivated area.
Most agricultural land was committed to crops grown primarily for grain, pulses, oilseeds or commercial sale. The production of fodder therefore depended heavily on the leftovers from those crops and on land available for grazing.
When rainfall damages agricultural production, the quantity of crop residue available for livestock can also decline. Lower grain and biomass yields may leave farmers with less material to store for the months following harvest.
Unlike grain, which can be sold immediately, fodder must remain available throughout the year. Even a temporary shortage can become expensive when cattle continue requiring feed every day.
Poor-Quality Cattle Fodder and Nutritional Deficiencies
The quantity of fodder available is only one part of the problem. Its nutritional quality can be equally important.
Dry straw, green grass, leguminous plants and concentrated feeds provide different amounts of protein, energy, fibre and minerals. A large quantity of low-quality fodder cannot always provide the nutrients required by an animal, particularly one producing milk. This is especially relevant in farming areas where crop residues form the main part of the cattle diet.
Paddy straw, for example, is useful as roughage but has relatively low protein content and limited digestibility. Sorghum stalks and other dry residues can supply fibre but may lack sufficient nutrients when fed without other suitable feed ingredients.
The National Dairy Development Board identifies ordinary cereal straws as nutritionally limited, with untreated straw generally containing less than 4% protein. This makes the composition of the overall diet important, particularly for lactating animals.
Research on Kathani cattle in Chandrapur, Gadchiroli and Gondia provides direct evidence of the quality issue.
Laboratory analysis of the locally used fodder found low nutritional value in paddy straw and several types of crop residues. The materials analysed included leftovers from chickpea, pigeon pea, wheat, mung and other crops.
The research published in 2019 found average crude protein content of approximately 9.59% across the analysed feed materials, along with crude fibre content of 25.21%. The figures were averages for the sampled materials, rather than a measure of the complete daily diets of all animals.
A later study published in 2022 also identified low nutritive value in feed commonly given to Kathani cattle.
The problem becomes more complicated when mineral deficiencies are considered.
A study of soil, feeds and buffaloes in the western agroclimatic zone, including Akola, found deficiencies in several locally available feeding materials.
Sorghum, pigeon pea, gram and soybean straw were found to have low phosphorus levels. Cottonseed and cottonseed cake contained insufficient calcium, while various feed materials showed deficiencies in zinc and sodium.
The study also identified zinc deficiency in buffaloes examined in Akola district, with the deficiency linked to the mineral composition of local soils and feeding materials.
Minerals are required for several normal functions in cattle, including bone development, metabolism, reproduction and maintaining health.
A lack of adequate minerals can affect animals even when the amount of fodder supplied appears sufficient.
The nutritional problem is not identical across all fodder types. Different crop residues contain different levels of protein, fibre and minerals. Even crops grown in the same area can vary in feeding value according to soil conditions, maturity at harvest and the part of the plant consumed.
Green fodder provides another source of nutritional variation.
Young, leafy plants generally differ from mature, fibrous material in digestibility and nutrient content. Leguminous fodder crops can provide more protein than many cereal residues. The absence of sufficient green feed can therefore alter the nutritional balance of a cattle diet.
This is one reason the shortage of quality fodder cannot be understood simply by calculating the number of tonnes available.
The storage of cattle feed introduces another quality concern.
Crop residues are often retained for consumption over several months. Oilseed cakes and other concentrated feeds may also be purchased and stored before feeding.
Excess moisture and unsuitable storage conditions can encourage fungal growth. Some fungi produce mycotoxins, including aflatoxins, which can affect livestock health and contaminate animal feed.
A national study of cattle feed and raw ingredients found that only 68.5% of 482 composite feed samples tested had aflatoxin B1 concentrations below the stated permissible limit of 20 parts per billion.
This finding demonstrates a wider feed-quality concern in India. It does not establish the proportion of contaminated cattle feed currently sold or used in the region, for which comparable district-level testing figures were not verified.
Poor-quality fodder can therefore involve several distinct problems. Some materials naturally contain limited protein or minerals. Others become less nutritious through maturity or poor preservation. Contaminated feed presents an additional risk.
For a livestock owner purchasing fodder during a shortage, price and availability may become the immediate considerations. However, the animal's nutritional requirements remain unchanged.
When expensive concentrates become difficult to purchase, dependence on cheaper dry residues may increase. Such a change can lower feeding costs in the short term while reducing the overall nutritional value of the diet.
Research among milk producers in Bhandara, Yavatmal and two Marathwada districts during 2022-23 identified the shortage of quality feed throughout the year as a serious constraint.
The findings also identified the high cost of concentrates and inadequate green fodder supplies. These concerns show that the nutritional problem is connected to both the composition of available material and what farmers can afford to purchase.
Effects of Fodder Shortages on Cattle Health, Milk and Farm Income
The most immediate effect of inadequate fodder is a reduction in the nutrients available to an animal.
When cattle receive less energy or protein than their bodies require, they may lose weight and body condition. The effects depend on the length and severity of the shortage, the animal's age and its physiological condition.
For milking cows and buffaloes, insufficient nutrition can affect milk production because lactation requires considerable energy, protein and water.
Animals must first meet their basic maintenance needs. The nutrients available beyond these requirements support functions such as growth, pregnancy and milk production.
When feed intake declines or the ration becomes unbalanced, milk yield may suffer.
Research published in The Indian Journal of Animal Sciences examined lactating crossbred cows fed different combinations of concentrate, dry roughage and green fodder. The study found that adding green fodder improved feed intake and nutrient digestibility, while milk yield was significantly higher in the groups receiving green fodder.
A separate study involving 28 lactating buffaloes found that including green fodder in a balanced ration reduced average daily feeding costs by 12.70% and the cost of milk production by 13.25%.
The milk yield in that particular trial remained broadly similar between the groups, but the financial return improved because the ration was less expensive.
These experiments were not conducted as measurements of the current fodder shortage in Vidarbha. They demonstrate how the composition of cattle feed can influence milk production and the economics of dairy farming.
For farmers who rely on selling milk daily, even a modest reduction in production can affect household income.
A dairy animal continues requiring feed regardless of whether its milk yield is sufficient to cover the expense. Purchased concentrates, crop residues and green fodder represent recurring costs that cannot simply be stopped without affecting the animal.
During a shortage, those costs can increase at the same time that feed quality and milk production deteriorate.
The consequences are particularly serious for farmers maintaining several buffaloes or cows. Their daily requirements are much larger than those of a household keeping one or two animals.
An increase in the cost of a single feeding ingredient is multiplied across the entire herd. If sufficient green fodder is unavailable locally, additional spending may be required on alternative materials and transport.
The composition of the ration also affects reproductive health.
Animals receiving inadequate energy, protein or essential minerals over prolonged periods can experience reduced fertility, delayed conception or reproductive difficulties. Nutritional deficiencies are not the only causes of these problems, but feeding is an important factor.
Young animals are also vulnerable because growth depends on an adequate and balanced supply of nutrients.
For cattle used in agricultural work, reduced body condition can affect their ability to perform physically demanding tasks. Bullocks require sufficient feeding to maintain strength and body weight during cultivation and transport work.
A prolonged shortage can therefore affect households that depend on cattle primarily for farm operations, even when they do not sell milk.
The decision to sell animals is another consequence.
In Yavatmal, farmers have been disposing of bullock pairs during the current fodder crisis, with some livestock markets recording significant price reductions. A larger supply of animals offered for sale during distress can reduce the amount owners receive.
For a farmer who purchased a pair for agricultural work, selling it below its previous market value represents a direct financial loss.
The pressure is different for dairy owners, who may have spent several years building a productive herd. Selling milking animals can interrupt an established source of regular income and leave existing investments in cattle housing and feeding arrangements underused.
The Washim buffalo enterprise illustrates this difficulty. Despite producing more than 200 litres of milk each day, the owner is considering selling most of the animals because maintaining adequate fodder and water supplies has become increasingly difficult.
This does not mean that every dairy business in the district is facing the same level of distress. The case demonstrates how a shortage can threaten an otherwise productive livestock operation.
A further complication is the time required to rebuild livestock holdings once animals have been sold.
A productive buffalo or cow cannot necessarily be replaced immediately at the same price or with the same milk yield. Its age, health, lactation stage and reproductive condition influence its value.
Selling animals may reduce current feeding expenditure, but it also changes the owner's ability to earn income from livestock in subsequent months.
The cost of fodder therefore extends beyond its purchase price. Its availability affects how long animals can be maintained, whether dairy operations remain viable and whether cattle owners can retain productive livestock during difficult agricultural seasons.
The continuing concern is reflected in the difference between fodder production and its actual feeding value. Harvest statistics may show substantial quantities of straw and stalks, but those figures do not reveal how much nutritious feed is accessible to each cattle owner.
The condition of the animals themselves can provide a more immediate indication of the consequences. Weight loss, changes in body condition, declining milk yields and the sale of productive livestock all represent different stages of the same feeding difficulty.
In districts currently facing shortages, the next harvest will determine how much new crop residue becomes available. Its quantity, nutritional value and price will influence how farmers maintain their animals during the months that follow.
FAQs
Q: Why is green fodder important for cows and buffaloes?
A: Green fodder supplies digestible nutrients, moisture and varying amounts of protein, minerals and vitamins. When combined with appropriate dry roughage and concentrates, it supports cattle health, digestion, milk production and reproductive functions. Its nutritional value depends on the crop, growing conditions and stage of harvesting.
Q: Main reasons behind cattle fodder shortages in Vidarbha
A: Major factors include inadequate rainfall, seasonal gaps in fodder production, dependence on agricultural residues and the limited cultivation of dedicated fodder crops. Crop damage can reduce the available supply, while competing commercial uses of residues and higher prices can make fodder more difficult for livestock owners to obtain.
Q: Effects of poor-quality cattle fodder on milk production and animal health
A: Fodder deficient in protein, energy or essential minerals can reduce milk production, affect body condition and contribute to reproductive problems. Insufficient nutrition over prolonged periods can also impair growth and physical performance. The consequences depend on the animal's requirements, total ration and duration of the deficiency.
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References
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