Fodder

Information and facts about Nutrition.

In agriculture, fodder or animal feed is any foodstuff that is used specifically to feed livestock, such as cattle, sheep, chickens and pigs.

Most animal feed is from plants but some fodder is of animal origin. Although most animal foodstuffs are considered safe, mad cow disease spreads due to prion contamination of meat and bone meal, a common feed ingredient.

Common plants specifically grown for fodder
grass (as grazing pasture and for cropping and storage as hay and silage)
ryegrass
bermuda grass
timothy-grass
danthonia
wheat
millet
soybean
oats
alfalfa (lucerne)
sorghum
clover
red clover
white clover
subterranium clover
maize
brassicas
chau moellier
kale
rapeseed (Canola)
rutabaga (swede)
turnip
birdsfoot trefoil

Types of fodder
hay
silage

Growing Fodder Hydroponically

Fodder factory set up by a farmer for his 100 head of cattle
Fodder growing from barley
Cattle may need a couple of days to get used to the taste of the fodder, but once they are used to it they usually love itWikimedia Commons has more media related to:
FodderFodder may be effectively grown in a hydroponic environment. Growing fodder, instead of feeding the "raw" grain to stock, can greatly increase the value of the grain. For instance, 1 ton of barley can be converted to 7 tons of fodder in less than two weeks. To grow the fodder in this time frame, you must have a carefully regulated environment, with the correct temperature and humidity. Temperature should not exceed 23 degrees Celsius, and should be at least 16 °C for fast growth. Humidity should stay above about 65%. But this isn't a guarantee, experimentation with these as guidelines will achieve best results. An important factor in growing the fodder is the quality of the water and the barley. Water should remain under 24 °C or else the barley will begin to ferment. The following is a rough guide for fodder growth:

Water less than 23 °C, greater than 16 °C
pH 6.4
Humidity less than 80%, greater than 60%
Room Temperature less than 23 °C, greater than 18 °C

There is still some argument as to whether fodder growing is effective.

Fodder can be grown in a professional system but can also been grown effectively by small farmers.

Back to the main Nutrition page

Can't find what you are looking for?
Use our site search facility...

Home I Search Site I Site map I Conditions I Symptoms I News Archive I Forum I Contact us I About us I Access Keys

All information published on this web site is for information purposes only. The content of this web site should not be used for a conclusive diagnosis or for choosing a treatment. The content on this site has been provided as a guideline and general information it is not intended to replace professional medical care. In all serious cases it is advisable to recieve attention from a qualified medical practitioner. All text is available under the terms of the GNU free documentation license.