Fodder
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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.
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Common plants specifically grown for fodder
- grass (as grazing pasture and for cropping and storage as hay and silage)
- wheat
- millet
- soybean
- oats
- alfalfa (lucerne)
- sorghum
- clover
- maize
- brassicas
- chau moellier
- kale
- rapeseed (Canola)
- rutabaga (swede)
- turnip
- birdsfoot trefoil
Types of fodder
Growing Fodder Hydroponically
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Fodder 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 tonnes of barley can be converted to 7 tonnes 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, and should be at least 16 degrees 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 degrees 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 systems (such as can be found [at this link (http://www.hydroponics.com.au/back_issues/issue70.html)]) but can also been grown effectively by small famers (for detail visit [this link (http://www.melandapark.com/fodder.html)]