Hydroponic forage systems help when conditions poor, land expensive

By Sue Roesler, For Lee Agri-Media
Sep 9, 2011
Sep 9, 2011

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

By Sue Roesler, For Lee Agri-Media

Growing forage in a greenhouse might seem like an expensive way to feed dairy or beef cattle or other livestock, but in certain situations it could prove very beneficial.

kAmu@C :?DE2?46[ :? 5C@F89E 4@?5:E:@?D :E 4@F=5 AC@G:56 AC@5F46CD H:E9 2? 6I46==6?E D@FC46 @7 7@C286[ D2:5 !2F= qC6?E=:?86C[ AC6D:56?E @7 rC@Az:?8[ 32D65 :? ~9:@] p7E6C 2==[ 42EE=6 2C6 23=6 E@ 62E E96 H9@=6 E9:?8[ DAC@FE >2E 2?5 2==]k^Am

kAmrC@Az:?8 :D @?6 @7 D6G6C2= 4@>A2?:6D E92E 2C6 @776C:?8 E96 7@C286 DJDE6>D[ 2D H6== 2D @E96C DJDE6>D 7@C 9J5C@A@?:4 8C@H:?8]k^Am

kAm(:E9 9J5C@A@?:4D[ A=2?ED 42? 36 8C@H? :? 2 D>2== 2>@F?E @7 H2E6C @? 2 >2E H:E9 25565 ?FEC:6?ED \ 3FE H:E9@FE D@:=]k^Am

kAmQ(:E9 9J5C@A@?:4D[ J@F 42? 8C@H 7@C286 :? 2 8C66?9@FD6 2?5 8C@H :E 72DE6C \ 92CG6DE:?8 :? 2D =:EE=6 2D D6G6? E@ `_ 52JD[Q qC6?E=:?86C D2:5] QxE :D C62==J D:>A=6j E96C6 :D ?@ D@:= :?G@=G65]Qk^Am

kAmrC@Az:?8VD u@556C $@=FE:@?D DJDE6> :D 2 9J5C@A@?:4 8C@H:?8 DJDE6> E92E 92D 366? DA64:7:42==J 56G6=@A65 E@ DAC@FE 8C2:? 2?5 =68F>6 D665D 7@C 9:89=J ?FEC:E:@FD J6E 4@DE\67764E:G6 =:G6DE@4< 7665]k^Am

kAmwJ5C@A@?:4 E649?@=@8J 2==@HD 7C6D9 7665 2?5 AC@5F46 E@ 36 8C@H? 2?JH96C6] p E9@FD2?5 A@F?5D @7 32C=6J[ H962E @C 4@C? 8C@HD :?E@ f[___ E@ g[___ A@F?5D @7 7665 :? @?=J `_ 52JD[ 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmQ%JA:42==J[ 72C>6CD 2C6 8C@H:?8 32C=6J 8C2DD[Q qC6?E=:?86C D2:5]k^Am

kAmrC@Az:?8 5@6D?VE AC@G:56 E96 D665[ ;FDE E96 7@C286 DJDE6>[ 2?5 AC@5F46CD 3FJ E96:C @H? D665 7C@> E96:C 562=6C]k^Am

kAm}62C=J 2?J <:?5 @7 D665 C6DA@?5D E@ E9:D DJDE6>[ qC6?E=:?86C D2:5[ 255:?8 AC@5F46CD 42? FD6 2 =@H 5@D6 @7 @C82?:4 76CE:=:K6C E@ 8C@H E96 D665 DF446DD7F==J]k^Am

People are also reading…

Good cattle and a giving nature: Late cowboy to receive hall of fame honors
County school’s Easter parties created lasting memories
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
Rural America at its finest: fire relief efforts in Nebraska show best of humanity
Proposals aim to improve pool of rural veterinarians
Nebraska ranchers reel from fire losses
Rail merger would hurt farmers
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market
Divine intent of creation respected
Study reveals how bull buyers use key genetic information
Defend Digestive Function to Protect Profitability
Seed, weeds and satellites at Commodity Classic
Farmers visit Mexico ahead of USMCA talks
Social media talk burns my britches
Iowa farmer sees new path for agriculture

kAmQ(96? E96 7@C286 :D 8C@H?[ AC@5F46CD ;FDE C@== :E FA[ 8C2DD 2?5 C@@ED E@86E96C[ 2?5 7665 :E E@ E96:C 42EE=6[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmrC@Az:?8 H:== 36 AC@G:5:?8 2 7@C286 DJDE6> E@ p%x[ ~9:@ $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJVD tIE6?D:@?[ E@ 5@ >@C6 C6D62C49 @? 8C@H:?8 7@C286 9J5C@A@?:42==J 2?5 E@ 86E D@>6 52E2 @? :ED 67764ED :? >:=< 2?5 H6:89E] %96 F?:G6CD:EJ tIE6?D:@? 92D 366? C6D62C49:?8 9J5C@A@?:4D D:?46 `hhh[ 3FE 92D?VE C6D62C4965 9J5C@A@?:4 7@C286 F?E:= ?@H]k^Am

kAmQ~?6 @7 E96 5C2H324<D :D E96C6 :D?VE 2 =@E @7 C6D62C49 @? E96 7@C286 DJDE6>D] %9:D H@F=5 AC@G:56 E92E[Q qC6?E=:?86C D2:5]k^Am

kAmwJ5C@A@?:4D :D 364@>:?8 >@C6 :>A@CE2?E E@ 72C>6CD H@C=5H:56[ 96 D2:5[ 5F6 E@ E96 =24< @7 =2?5] u@C :?DE2?46[ E96 7@C286 DJDE6> 92D 366? FD65 3J 52:CJ AC@5F46CD H:E9 =:>:E65 A2DEFC6=2?5] %96J 42? 8C@H E96:C 7@C286 :? 2 9J5C@A@?:4 DJDE6>[ C2E96C E92? 92G:?8 E@ 7:?5 >@C6 =2?5]k^Am

kAmp?5 E96J 42? 8C@H :E :? E96 H:?E6C H96? 4@?5:E:@?D >:89E AC6G6?E 42EE=6 7C@> 7@C28:?8 7@C ?FEC:E:@FD 8C2DD]k^Am

kAmQ!C@5F46CD 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5 2C6 92G:?8 E@ 7@4FD @? >@C6 :?E6?D:G6 72C>:?8 H:E9 92CD96C 4@?5:E:@?D 2?5 2 =24< @7 =2?5[Q 96 D2:5] QxE :D ?@E 62DJ E@ 8C@H 8@@5 BF2=:EJ 92J :? 5C@F89E 4@?5:E:@?D[ 2?5 @7E6? A2DEFC6 @C 4C@A=2?5 :D ?@E 2G2:=23=6 @C :D G6CJ 6IA6?D:G6]Qk^Am

kAm#6D62C49 @? 8@@5 BF2=:EJ 7@C286 H9:49 42? 36 AC@5F465 9J5C@A@?:42==J 92D D9@H? E92E >:=< J:6=5D 42? 36 :?4C62D65 :? 52:CJ 4@HD[ E96 G:8@C 2?5 A6C7@C>2?46 @7 C2469@CD6D :D :>AC@G65j 2?5 E96C6 :D 2 9:896C AC@E6:? 4@?E6?E E92? 92J D@ :E :D >@C6 62D:=J 5:86DE65[ 244@C5:?8 E@ rC@Az:?8VD H63D:E6]k^Am

kAmqC6?E=:?86C D2:5 E96 >2:? 8@2= @7 rC@Az:?8 :D E@ 2DD:DE 8C@H6CD :? 9J5C@A@?:4 G686E23=6 2?5 @E96C 4C@A AC@5F4E:@?]k^Am

kAmQ(6 92G6 8C@H6CD :? 6G6CJ DE2E6 2?5 @G6C 2 5@K6? 5:776C6?E 4@F?EC:6D H9@ FE:=:K6 @FC DJDE6> E@ 8C@H 9:89 G2=F6 4C@AD =:<6 E@>2E@6D 2?5 =6EEF46[Q 96 D2:5[ 255:?8 E92E :E H2D 2 QH2J 7@C 72C>6CD E@ 5:G6CD:7J]Qk^Am

kAmx? 255:E:@? E@ 8C@H:?8 4C@AD =:<6 D@J362?D 2?5 4@C?[ D@>6 72C>6CD 2C6 8C@H:?8 G686E23=6D 9J5C@A@?:42==J :? 8C66?9@FD6D 7@C =@42= 72C>6CD >2C<6ED @C 8C@46CJ DE@C6D]k^Am

kAmQ*@F 42? 23D@=FE6=J 8C@H 7@C286 @C G686E23=6D :? 36=@H K6C@ H62E96C[ 3FE E96 962E 4@DE 92D E@ 36 7:8FC65 :?[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmu@C >@C6 @? rC@Az:?8VD 9J5C@A@?:4 DJDE6>D[ D66 k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]4C@A<:?8]4@>QmHHH]4C@A<:?8]4@>k^2m]k^Am