Chemical Composition and Production Potential of Different Strains of Fodder Oat

Twenty four strains of forage oat (Avena sativa L.) were evaluated for their chemical composition and production potential at 60 days after sowing (I cut) and at 50 per cent heading stage (II cut). Green forage yield and nutritive characters of I and II cuts were also determined. The average OM, CP, Ash, NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose contents of green fodder, irrespective of strains at I cut was 90.01, 10.33, 9.98, 41.87, 30.69, 11.15 and 25.36 per cent, respectively, whereas the corresponding value in II cut was 92.01, 5.28, 7.98, 54.32, 34.94, 19.29 and 27.36 per cent. The CP and ash contents of the fodder were higher inlcut, whereas, the NDF, ADF, hemicellulose and cellulose contents were higher in II cut. The total yield of green fodder, DM, CP, digestible dry matter and DCP ranged from 278.2 to 724.2 q/ha, 50.8 to 126.9 q/ha, 3.4 to 7.4 q/ha and 25.9 to 62.9 q/ha, respectively. Total yield of green fodder and DM were higher in II than in I cut Five strains viz., UPO 248, UPO 257, UPO 253, UPO 260 and UPO 262 were found promising from the view point of green fodder yield, CP and digestible dry matter yield.