
Alfaculture generally takes about five to eight days to grow from seed to an 8 inch mat of grass, packed with vitamins and minerals. Types of plants typically grown for livestock forage include alfalfa, barley, oats, clover, grass and wheat.
Alfaculture or growing livestock forage in a hydroponic system might seem like an expensive way to feed dairy or beef cattle or other livestock, but in most situations it could prove very helpful. Livestock forage may include any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as chickens, horses, pigs, cattle and goats. The term refers to food given to animals, rather than the food they feed for themselves.

Alfaculture systems generate a much better yield over a shorter period of time in a smaller area than traditionally-grown crops. Alfaculture is a year-round growing system that produces a consistent quantity and quality of plant material, regardless of outside weather. Hydroponics Livestock forage is becoming more important to farmers worldwide due to the lack of arable farm land. For example, Alfaculture has been used by dairy producers with limited arable land. Livestock farmers can grow their forage in a soilless farming f facility, rather than having to find more land. Alfaculture allow farmers to grow any kind of fresh grass forage for their ruminants or poultries, irrespective of land or weather conditions which are the biggest obstacles for traditional green fodder production.