Abstract            Volume:13  Issue-5  Year-2025         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

In Ethiopia, production of sufficient green fodder and grain to feed the livestock population has become a big challenge. This is due to limited land allocation for cultivation, lack of irrigation facilities and natural disaster. To overcome this problem, hydroponics fodder production technology is an innovative, emerging, efficient, and promising way to produce sufficient quality feed in livestock farms. In this paper, we have tried to explain the utilization of hydroponics feed technology in livestock feeding, with more emphasis on Ethiopia. When used effectively, a hydroponic fodder system can guarantee livestock farmers a source of sufficient and abundant fodder, particularly in regions with limited grazing pasture, frequent droughts, and other climate-related issues. Moreover, it is advantageous in terms of nutritional benefit and economic value, constant feed supply year-round, marginal land use, reduced labor requirement, and natural feed for animals. In situations where conventional green feed cannot be grown successfully, hydroponic feed can be produced by farmers for feeding their animals using low-cost devices. Feeding hydroponically produced feed increases the digestibility of the nutrients in the ration; this could contribute to an increase productivity of animals. Generally, hydroponic technology offers a significant potential for improving livestock feeding in Ethiopia. This technology is particularly valuable due to its ability to produce a readily available, highly palatable and digestible feed source rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, which can significantly enhance animal health. Based on different research reports, hydroponic use has brought significant improvements in livestock production and has a significant positive impact on pastoral households’ ability to generate additional income in Ethiopia. According to some authors, reports show all supplemented hydroponics produced better bodyweight gains and feed conversion efficiencies than the control in lambs. Moreover, past research findings have shown that the addition of hydroponic fodder to chicken rations was found to have a positive effect on the production performance. In Ethiopia there is a vigor in the adoption of this technology, and few farmers have been practicing this technology. However, there is a big gap and no adequate compiled information that clearly indicates the importance of hydroponics fodder production for sustainable livestock production. According some research report hydroponic fodder production practice was low due to lack of awareness among extension workers, farmers, and service providers, high cost of seed, and labor shortage and the adoption rate was found less than global average.

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