Monday 23 March 2015

Why Alfaculture Is The Most Practical Solution To Feed Livestock?

hydroponics-farming-a-solution-to-quality-livestock-forage-1-638Hydroponics farming for animals or Alfaculture is popular all over the world with farmers, ranchers, horsemen and zoos. It is a compact, simple, and cheap way to produce high quality green forage for farm animals. Any kind of grass or cereal grains can be sprouted in a well maintained Hydroponic growing system or in Alfaculture. Addition of any nutrient solution which is the growing media, increases the food value of the final product.

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.

downloadThere are so many companies nowadays that are offering the forage systems, as well as other systems for hydroponic growing. Alfaculture could provide producers with an excellent source of forage and cattle are able to eat the whole thing, sprout mat and all. With Alfaculture, plants can be grown in a small amount of water on a mat with added nutrients – but without soil. Alfaculture apply hydroponic or the soilless farming technology for the production of fresh feed which can be grown anywhere under any climate situation. A thousand pounds of barley, wheat or corn grows into 7,000-8,000 pounds of feed in only 10 days.

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.

Thursday 19 March 2015

Alfaculture – A Sustainable Solution For Livestock Feed Shortage

Invest in hydroponics for the production of forage might seem like an expensive way to feed dairy or beef cattle or other livestock, and in certain situations it could prove very beneficial. For instance, in drought conditions it could provide producers with an excellent source of forage. After all, cattle are able to eat the whole thing, sprout mat and all. Hydroponic forage production, also called as Alfculture can meet the issue of livestock feed shortage.

Misc-014-640x375With hydroponics, plants can be grown in a small amount of water on a mat with added nutrients – but without soil. With hydroponics, you can grow forage in a greenhouse and grow it faster – harvesting in as little as seven to 10 days. Alfaculture requires a hydroponic growing system that has been specifically developed to sprout grain and legume seeds for highly nutritious yet cost-effective livestock feed.

Hydroponic technology allows fresh feed and produce to be grown anywhere. A thousand pounds of barley, wheat or corn grows into 7,000-8,000 pounds of feed in only 10 days. Typically, farmers are widely depends alfaculture for the production of barley grass, which is rich in nutrition to feed their cattle.

Almost all kind of seeds responds to the system of Alfaculture very soon; means the farmers can have the yields within eight or ten days from the seeding. The addition of a low dose of organic fertilizer helps the successful plant growth with desired results. In an Alfaculture system, when the forage is grown, producers only need to just roll it up, grass and roots together, and feed it to their cattle.

Hydroponics is becoming more important to farmers worldwide due to the lack of land. For instance, the Alfaculture system has been used by dairy producers with limited pasture land. They can grow their forage in a hydroponic system, rather than having to find more land. And they can grow it in any climatic conditions, even it might prevent cattle from foraging for nutritious grass.

Livestock-Production-System-in-the-Middle-East1-720x375Livestock farmers around the world have to focus on more intensive farming with harsher conditions and a lack of land. It is not easy to grow good quality hay in drought conditions, and often pasture or crop land is not available or is very expensive.

Research on good quality forage which can be produced hydroponically or in Alfaculture has shown that milk yields can be increased in dairy cows, the energy and performance of ruminants is improved; and there is a higher protein content than hay so it is more easily digested.