What is Hydroponic Fodder?
Fodder is food given to livestock. Thus, hydroponic fodder is the livestock food produced using hydroponics. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil in a hydroponic system.
It has low dry matter (DM) content
The statistics published by Maryland Small Ruminant Page, show that barley sprouts produced hydroponically contain 12% DM as compared to soil-grown Orchard grass hay (88% DM) and Alfalfa hay (89% DM). In other words, the hydroponic fodder is 88% water.
Why does the hydroponic fodder contain less DM content? The seeds used to prepare the hydroponic fodder lose between 7% to 47% DM during soaking and germination.
How do the seeds lose their DM content?
They lose DM during soaking and the subsequent sprouting processes because of the leaching of materials and oxidation of substances from the seed. During soaking, seeds lose their solutes. They lose most of the solutes during the water uptake stage which stops after 24 hours. Perhaps, this is the reason farmers are advised to soak their seed for a similar period. Several studies, for example, Flynn et al. (1986), have found that barley, among other seeds, lose 24% in DM in an eight-day production cycle.
It has little nutrients
The solutes that the seeds lose during the soaking stage contain amino acids, organic acids, proteins, sugars, and inorganic ions. There is no sufficient time to regain these nutrients because of the short production cycle.
Therefore, hydroponic fodder contains not only less DM but also few nutrients.
It’s hard to control mold
Perhaps, the mold is the biggest problem facing farmers who grow hydroponic fodder. Monitoring the humidity in a greenhouse environment is tough. Humidity promotes fast growth of mold. Moldy hydroponic fodder reduces the overall animal performance and can result in animal death. Easy (and perhaps not effective) ways of controlling mold
The farmers should sterilize the seeds using a sterilizing agent, for example, hydrogen peroxide. Also, they should ensure proper hygiene in the hydroponic system. Also, they must clean the grow trays thoroughly using a chlorine-based solution before and after using them. Effective way of controlling mold
The farmers should install and use manual or automatic fans to regulate the humidity. These equipment increase the investment and energy costs.
It requires a high initial capital investment
Perhaps, the biggest challenge that farmers face is the high initial capital investment. They must acquire hydroponic fodder units, seeds, and construct a greenhouse. Also, they must have access to considerable energy to grow the hydroponic fodder successfully. The access to the main grid electricity, especially in most African countries, is limited. Thus, such farmers would have to install solar energy which is again expensive to acquire. Perhaps, this is why governments and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) subsidize the installation of hydroponic fodder units.
It is expensive to run and maintain hydroponic fodder production
The hydroponic fodder production requires sufficient skilled labor which is expensive to hire. Labor is required to soak the seeds, transfer them to the grow trays, place the grow trays onto the shelves, monitor the fodder’s daily growth, remove the ready fodder from the grow trays, clean and sterilize the trays, and take the fodder to the livestock. Farmers can automate some of these processes but at a high investment cost. Nowedays you can controle it completely with a App. (asked us for the company)
Also, it is expensive to buy seeds, for example, barley, wheat or oats.
They hydroponic system for producing fodder is subject to depreciation
Depreciation reduces the value of the hydroponic fodder units. It is expensive to replace or buy new units from time to time.
Livestock cannot be fed hydroponic fodder alone
Livestock cannot be fed hydroponic fodder alone because of its low DM content. They still require hay and other dry forage. Perhaps, this is the reason why farmers question the need to produce expensive hydroponic fodder instead of buying other affordable supplements in the market, and growing livestock fodder on private or leased land.
Where May Hydroponic Fodder Fit?
I think hydroponic fodder fits the farmers who completely have no access to dry foliage. Also, it may benefit rabbit and chicken farmers because it is a ready and palatable feed.
Moreover, it may benefit farmers who want to provide a different diet to their livestock although they must check the production costs. When you use it for cows, extra concentrate powerfood is necessary
What is Hydroponic Fodder?
Fodder is food given to livestock. Thus, hydroponic fodder is the livestock food produced using hydroponics. Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil in a hydroponic system.
It has low dry matter (DM) content
The statistics published by Maryland Small Ruminant Page, show that barley sprouts produced hydroponically contain 12% DM as compared to soil-grown Orchard grass hay (88% DM) and Alfalfa hay (89% DM). In other words, the hydroponic fodder is 88% water.
Why does the hydroponic fodder contain less DM content? The seeds used to prepare the hydroponic fodder lose between 7% to 47% DM during soaking and germination.
How do the seeds lose their DM content?
They lose DM during soaking and the subsequent sprouting processes because of the leaching of materials and oxidation of substances from the seed. During soaking, seeds lose their solutes. They lose most of the solutes during the water uptake stage which stops after 24 hours. Perhaps, this is the reason farmers are advised to soak their seed for a similar period. Several studies, for example, Flynn et al. (1986), have found that barley, among other seeds, lose 24% in DM in an eight-day production cycle.
It has little nutrients
The solutes that the seeds lose during the soaking stage contain amino acids, organic acids, proteins, sugars, and inorganic ions. There is no sufficient time to regain these nutrients because of the short production cycle.
Therefore, hydroponic fodder contains not only less DM but also few nutrients.
It’s hard to control mold
Perhaps, the mold is the biggest problem facing farmers who grow hydroponic fodder. Monitoring the humidity in a greenhouse environment is tough. Humidity promotes fast growth of mold. Moldy hydroponic fodder reduces the overall animal performance and can result in animal death. Easy (and perhaps not effective) ways of controlling mold
The farmers should sterilize the seeds using a sterilizing agent, for example, hydrogen peroxide. Also, they should ensure proper hygiene in the hydroponic system. Also, they must clean the grow trays thoroughly using a chlorine-based solution before and after using them. Effective way of controlling mold
The farmers should install and use manual or automatic fans to regulate the humidity. These equipment increase the investment and energy costs.
It requires a high initial capital investment
Perhaps, the biggest challenge that farmers face is the high initial capital investment. They must acquire hydroponic fodder units, seeds, and construct a greenhouse. Also, they must have access to considerable energy to grow the hydroponic fodder successfully. The access to the main grid electricity, especially in most African countries, is limited. Thus, such farmers would have to install solar energy which is again expensive to acquire. Perhaps, this is why governments and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) subsidize the installation of hydroponic fodder units.
It is expensive to run and maintain hydroponic fodder production
The hydroponic fodder production requires sufficient skilled labor which is expensive to hire. Labor is required to soak the seeds, transfer them to the grow trays, place the grow trays onto the shelves, monitor the fodder’s daily growth, remove the ready fodder from the grow trays, clean and sterilize the trays, and take the fodder to the livestock. Farmers can automate some of these processes but at a high investment cost. Nowedays you can controle it completely with a App. (asked us for the company)
Also, it is expensive to buy seeds, for example, barley, wheat or oats.
They hydroponic system for producing fodder is subject to depreciation
Depreciation reduces the value of the hydroponic fodder units. It is expensive to replace or buy new units from time to time.
Livestock cannot be fed hydroponic fodder alone
Livestock cannot be fed hydroponic fodder alone because of its low DM content. They still require hay and other dry forage. Perhaps, this is the reason why farmers question the need to produce expensive hydroponic fodder instead of buying other affordable supplements in the market, and growing livestock fodder on private or leased land.
Where May Hydroponic Fodder Fit?
I think hydroponic fodder fits the farmers who completely have no access to dry foliage. Also, it may benefit rabbit and chicken farmers because it is a ready and palatable feed.
Moreover, it may benefit farmers who want to provide a different diet to their livestock although they must check the production costs. When you use it for cows, extra concentrate powerfood is necessary.
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