The Use of Hydroponic Fodder in Animal Production Systems

In general, roughage supply is one of the most important issues in large and small ruminant farming. Without roughage, ruminant farming is unthinkable. Purchasing roughage from outside sources is one of the obstacles to sustainable, economical production in ruminant farming. Roughage or feed prices generally begin to rise when milk prices fall. Hydroponic fodder production became popular in Türkiye in the early 2000s as an alternative for farms with insufficient land for roughage or no land at all. As of 2025, this topic has once again become a priority for farmers. The advantages of hydroponic fodder production include the ability to produce green barley year-round and repeat the process every eight days, as well as lower water consumption and labor requirements. However, it is also true that producing green barley using this method leads to nutrient losses. For instance, the cost of one kilogram of green barley dry matter is 3.4 times higher than that of barley grain dry matter, whereas the costs of energy and protein are 3.7 and 2.2 times higher, respectively. This article has been prepared to inform growers about the pros and cons of this method.