BERSEEM is the largest Rabi season cattle fodder grown in the country, 88 per cent of which grows in Punjab, nine per cent in Sindh, two per cent in the NWFP and 0.5 per cent in Balochistan. It is a popular fodder for milch animals. It provides superior and cheap nutrition for prolonged period to the cattle and helps enhancing milk production. To add to this, it is a legume fodder and therefore adds nutrients essential to maintain soil fertility and productivity. Berseem contains 20-24 per cent proteins, 2.89 per cent calcium and 0.4 per cent phosphate at the green stage.

The fodder has remarkable adaptability and can be successfully grown under sub-tropical and tropical agro-ecological conditions. Its germination requires a temperature range of 25-30 C while a temperature between 15 to 20 C is considered best for vegetative growth. On the other, flowering needs a bit higher temperature of 35 to 40 C.

Owing to fibrous root system, the fodder can be successfully grown on clay loam soils but saturated and salt-affected soils are unfit for its growth. Well-pulverised seed bed with adequate moisture is required for its cultivation owing to small size of seeds.

Since berseem is not self pollinating crop but is highly cross pollinated rather self-incompatible and therefore causing sharp decline in local seed production. There are fewer berseem cultivars such as Agaiti berseem, Pachaiti berseem, Synthetic, SB-84, Maskawi, Peshawri, S-1 and S-2 for cultivation. Due to severe shortage of fodder for milch cattle at seed ripening stage, the farmers are bound to use the crop as fodder rather than keeping for seed. Moreover, the competition of last cutting of berseem with other crops does not support seed production and further aggravates seed production.

To enhance productivity of this fodder, it is recommended to inoculate seed used for sowing with Rhizobium culture. For this purpose, first soak the seed in water for 8-12 hours and prepare inoculation culture by mixing bacteria in sugar dissolved water.

Berseem is a Rabi crop and can be grown from mid- September to end of October. The farmers need to keep in mid characteristics like germination percentage, seed viability, seed purity etc. while using seed for sowing in order to cut optimum yield. Per hectare seed rate recommended varies from 20 to 25 kilogrammes depending upon type of cultivar, sowing time, soil moisture and nature of seedbed.

Berseem can be sown in flooded as well as in dry fields containing ample moisture to support seed germination. Seed can be broadcasted in 5 to 7 cm standing water. To ensure uniform germination of seed, seed is first broadcasted along the field and then across the field.

Mixed sowing of berseem along with other crops improves germination. For instance, when sown mixed with mustard, it improves first cutting by 20-25 per cent. Nevertheless, berseem seeds can also be mixed with crops other than mustard like methi and oat. It can also be intercropped in sugarcane.

Berseem is a nitrogen fixing crop with the help of bacteria. However, for better production and nutrition of the fodder, 80-100 kilogram and 1 kilogram molybdenum must be added per hectare.

Number and depth of irrigations depends upon soil type, temperature, etc. Berseem requires 10 to 15 irrigations depending upon above factors. Irrigation interval is the most important factor affecting fodder production. Frequent irrigation with an interval of one week is recommended in December and January when frost occurs but interval should be increased gradually with the increase in temperature.

Berseem is primarily grown for fodder. First cutting should be done 40 to 45 days after sowing while the subsequent cuttings with an interval of 20 to 25 days. However, for the purpose of obtaining seed, cutting should be stopped at mid or end of March.

Needless to say that the critical constraint for profitable livestock production in developing countries is related to inadequacy of quality forage which is further being aggravated by increased urbanisation and enhanced shifting trend of agriculture towards cash crops which further reduces the area under fodder crops. Moreover in our region, low per acre fodder yield coupled with two important fodder scarcity periods (one during summer and other during winter months), which, further aggravated the fodder availability situations.

Therefore, manipulating surplus fodder can go a long way to bridge this wider gap between fodder supply and demand during scarcity periods. One of the important feasible alternatives is to overcome the fodder shortage during severe weather conditions or a prolonged drought is the silage making of fodder when it is abundantly available. Preservation of surplus fodder by silage making can help reduce this irregular fodder supply pattern round the year. Berseem with high moisture content, high buffering capacity and relatively low concentrations of fermentable carbohydrates can be successfully preserved as silage.