Agriculture Technology: KDDD to Produce Hydroponic Fodder

Hydroponic fodder is the quality cattle feed, especially for dairy farmers in urban areas who do not have enough land to cultivate the required quantity of green fodder. Such farmers are dependent mostly on packaged cattle feed. Of course hydroponic fodder cannot substitute green fodder, as it lacks in fibre content. But it is definitely a better substitute for packaged feeds.

Because of increasing price of cattle feed, and the lack of availability of green fodder the urban dairy farmers in Kerala are worried. Shrinking land size in the state ensures lack of availability of green fodder and hay in sufficient quantities. The spiralling cost of packaged cattle feed adds to the cost of dairy farming. Hydroponic fodder provides an effective solution for both problems.

Kerala Dairy Development Department (KDDD), in Kannur and Thrissur districts, under its Integrated Dairy Development Project, has recently introduced a scheme to produce hydroponic green fodder. ‘Hydroponics’ means the technique of growing plants without soil or solid growing medium, but using water or nutrient-rich solution only, for a short duration.

The fodder production unit distributed by the KDDD has a greenhouse and a control unit. The greenhouse has tiered racks, each rack has rows of perforated trays for soaked seeds. Pipes fitted with micro-foggers above each tray ensures proper maintenance of required humidity and water fogging of the seed trays in the greenhouse. Tube lights provide optimal light requirement inside the greenhouse. The sensor-controlled unit regulates input of water and light automatically. Seeds like maize, barley and sorghum are used to grow fodder. The unit requires electricity round the clock.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/