Azolla as livestock feed

Technology Resource Centre of the Natural Resources Development Project (NARDEP) has developed a simple technology to grow azolla, which is useful for dairy farmers. It has been well established that azolla is an ideal feed substitute. Azolla has 50-60% protein on dry weight basis, rich in almost all essential amino acids, vitamin A, vitamin B-complex, beta-carotene and minerals viz. Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper and magnesium.

• Material required

Silpauline sheets, sieved fertile soil, cowdung, powdered rock phosphate, culture of azolla and micronutrients.

• Methodology

In this method, an artificial pond made of silpauline sheets of 2.6m by 1.6m is used to grow azolla. About 10-15kg of sieved fertile soil is uniformly spread over the sheet. One kg of cowdung mixed in 10 litres of water is poured over it. Powdered rock phosphate should be added along with the cowdung slurry at a rate of 10-20g per pit. Water should be poured into the pond to a depth of 10cm. Then 0.5-1 kg of pure culture of azolla is inoculated in the pond. In about 10-15 days, azolla will fill up the pond, and daily 0.5-1 kg fresh azolla can be harvested there after. About 10g of super phosphate or rock phosphate and 500g of cow dung should be added once every five days to keep azolla in rapid multiplication phase and to maintain a production of one kg per pond every day. Micronutrient mixture should be added to the azolla pond at weekly intervals to enhance the mineral content of azolla.

• Care should be taken to retain the temperature below 25⁰c.
• Shade nets can be used to cut the light intensity.
• The azolla biomass should be removed daily to avoid over crowdung.
• The pH of the pond should be maintained between 5.5 and 7.0.
• After harvesting, the fresh azolla should be washed thoroughly to remove cow dung smell. Washing in a net will be useful as it will allow small plantlets to get out, and they can be poured back in to the pond.

The cleaned azolla can be mixed with equal quantity of commercial feed and the mixture can be directly fed to dairy cattle and pig.

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