Preliminary Investigation of Some Common Cereals as Sources of Hydroponic Fodder in the Tropics

Résumé

In an effort to mitigate the problem of seasonal forage availability, as well as land space as a result of increasing urbanization and protracted conflicts between nomadic cattle herders and settled crop farmers, seeds of some common cereals in Nigeria were evaluated for their potentials as sources of hydroponic fodder production. Millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) were sourced from the open market and placed in a locally fabricated hydroponic chamber with detachable galvanized trays of 2.0 ft × 1.0 ft × 3” dimension. Seeds were watered once daily using a manual spraying pump. Parameters measured include daily weight changes and sprouted height. All the cereals produced good matt by day 8. Sorghum and rice showed resistance to mould while millet was susceptible to mould under prevailing tropical growing conditions. Sprouted fodders increased by 233%, 308% and 267% for millet, sorghum and rice respectively. Mean sprouted height varied (p< 0.05) from 8.5 cm in millet, to 11.9 cm in rice and 12.3 cm in sorghum. It can therefore, be concluded that sorghum and rice hold the potential as hydroponic fodder in the tropics and the technology could be employed in conflict aversion in Nigeria‟s livestock industry.