The Cornell University study on hydroponic fodder production observed that while there were no changes in milk yield or its composition, the dry matter intake by cows decreased, leading to more efficient milk production.

The cows were given hydroponically sprouted barley or wheat, which did not adversely affect their performance, despite the high water content in these sprouts.

However, the study highlighted challenges such as maintaining consistent growing conditions and the labor involved. Future research might focus on the environmental aspects and improving dry matter retention from seeds to sprouts.

“This is important because it demonstrates this replacement strategy by including sprouts and less concentrate cows were able to maintain their productive performance and actually enhance efficiency,” McFadden says. “This was especially observed in cows fed barley.”

To McFadden the most interesting finding from the study was that performance was not compromised.

The study did point to challenges of maintaining consistent growing conditions – that is one of the reasons for the GLC driven strategy of Shunya, which ensure high-quality and consistent production.

Read the full report here.