As technology continues to advance, farmers are exploring new, innovative ways to meet the growing demand for nutritious animal feed. One such game-changing solution is the hydroponic fodder system.

A Hydroponic Fodder System is an alternative technique for growing livestock feed sustainably in a controlled environment with water and nutrients but without soil.

In this system, plants grow on racks and beds using inert substrate and nutrient-rich water, which includes nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium. 

With a shortage of agricultural land and climate change affecting food production, hydroponic systems offer a sustainable solution for producing fresh, green fodder. They use 90% less water, land, and energy than traditional farming and avoid issues like pests, diseases, and waterlogging.

In India, where fodder shortages are a concern due to urbanization and declining pastures, hydroponics is becoming a key way to produce high-quality animal feed efficiently.

Read More About: Types Of Hydroponic Systems

How Does It Work?

Hydroponic fodder is used for only healthy and good-quality seeds. Broken and unhealthy seeds are not growing properly in this process. The healthy seeds include wheat, pulses, horse gram, and maize. You should not use pearl millet and sorghum seeds; they have poisonous leaves that can affect livestock.

Hydroponic Fodder Production Process

• Add the seeds into warm water to remove impure seeds, and then add salt that prevents seeds from fungi. 
• After 12 hrs, extract and wash the seeds from the solutions, then put them in jute bags to sprout well for 24 hours.
• Wash the tray, check that the holes are correctly opened, and put the seeds from the jute bag into the tray and place them on the rack.
• Watering systems or cannons can be used to spray plants with water early in the morning daily. In the summer, spray water every 2 hours, and in the winter, every 4 hours.

After these processes, always maintain and check the fungus development on the rack or tray that harms the plants.

Benefits Of Hydroponic Fodder

The hydroponic fodder system is a sustainable and modern innovative approach to growing fodder. The benefits of hydroponic systems are 

• Water Efficiency: Traditional fodder production needed a large amount of water. Hydroponic fodder systems use 90% less water than the traditional method.

• Need Less Land Area: Hydroponic fodder systems are cultivated in the vertical stacking process that needs a small area. Although it is grown in small areas, its productivity is high.

• Less Dependency on Climate Conditions: Traditional methods depend highly on environmental conditions. In hydroponics, the plants grow in a controlled environment over the year.

• Faster Growth: The hydroponic system provides a fast growth cycle of the fodders. The seed’s growth cycle can typically be 7 to 10 days in this method.

• Nutrients: In hydroponic methods, nutrients are used to meet the needs of the plants. This method is known for its high nutrient value.

Commonly Grown Crops

Hydroponics is generally used to produce livestock feed, but it is also used to grow vegetables. It is also used to grow organic farming to avoid pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. 

Hydroponics also cultivates a mix of agriculture, regenerative farming, crafts, and beverages. 

Some common crops that are grown in hydroponics are

• Leafy greens: Mustard greens, spinach, lettuce, basil, and kale
• Root vegetables: carrots, radishes, and beets
• Tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum, and ginger can be grown in hydroponics.

Construction Of Hydroponic Fodder System

These are the main components of the hydroponic fodder system.

1. Seeds
2. Water
3. Nutrient solutions
4. Controlled environment
5. Germination trays and structures
6. Air pump
7. LEDs
8. Multi-tiered shelves or racks 
9. Drainage system

The construction of a hydroponic water system is 

• The space can be chosen according to the need for fodder. Mostly, farmers use a 10 ft x 10 ft area.
• The place of the shed should be near the livestock shade because it is easy to operate. 
• Assemble multi-tiered racks with three or four layers of bamboo, plastic, or metal in the shed to hold the trays, leaving enough space for airflow and light.
• This system needs good ventilation, so the roofs and walls should be open in some parts. This can help to maintain humidity and temperature.
• The tray size should be 1.5 ft x 3 ft and must be made of suitable plastic. Metal quickly absorbs moisture, so metal trays should be avoided. 10 to 20 holes in trays need to drain excess water properly.
• Place perforated trays on the racks to hold sprouted seeds and allow water drainage.
• Install a watering system, such as sprinklers or drip irrigation, to keep seeds moist.
• Set up drainage pipes at the bottom to collect excess water and prevent mould growth.

Challenges In Hydroponic Fodder System

Many challenges occur during hydroponic processes. These are

• In the monsoon, nutrients promote moist (fungi or mould) growth that rots the plant roots and reduces plant health.
• Poor-quality seeds and fertilizers are also challenging for the system; they can contaminate the water and nutrient solution.
• Carbon emissions also affect the quality and quantity of the fodder.
• Lower humidity reduces stem length and leaf size, and higher humidity increases the possibility of condensation and fungal disease and decreases solar radiation and transpiration.
• A hydroponic fodder system needs an ideal temperature between 16° and 32° and relative humidity between 78% and 85%.
• Some technical challenges include nutrient deficiencies, pH, salt level, and hard water. Regular tap water contains solids and salts that can change the pH value and issue with nutrients.
• Controlled environment agricultural processes require high technology and are more costly than traditional farming.
• Leaking from joints and valves is a common challenge in hydroponic fodder systems.
• Selecting a proper light with the correct wavelength to help in the growth of plants is very crucial.
• The lack of a maintenance system is also a challenge for the system.
• Power outages are typical, so the need for electricity will be a real challenge because electricity is used for proper lighting and for pumps.
• Continuous monitoring and maintenance are essential in this process for the better health of seeds or plants. 
• Due to its moisture content, the risk of waterborne diseases remains high during this process. Fungi can develop in humid conditions that can infect all plants or seeds.

Conclusion

The hydroponic system is increasing in India because its process can be used in rural and urban areas. It helps small-scale farmers grow because it does not require a large land area and helps in growing high-quality fodder quickly and in a small space. 

This sustainable method also improves productivity when water is scarce. It provides good productivity for food, vegetables, and more. 

The system is being used by many farmers nationwide to improve livestock farming and increase their productivity and income. 

If you want to use the hydroponic method to grow fodder, you may need to prepare more information about it. Also, you may take expert advice about this method and technology.

Read More About: What Is Hydroponic Farming?