My name is YAMOUDA Lydia, I am a learner at the Rural Entrepreneurship Training Institute of Maroua. In this video, I will describe the process of producing hydroponic fodder which is an excellent feed for livestock nutrition in arid areas.
It all starts with sorting the corn seeds. Only healthy and whole seeds are retained because those that are broken or unhealthy do not germinate properly.
1 kg of good quality seeds are placed in a container to which we add 7 liters of lukewarm water. 50 g of kitchen salt are added to it in order to reduce the risk of mold growth. After 24 hours of soaking, the seeds are drained and washed thoroughly with clean water.
They are then wrapped in a hessian cloth and left for 24 hours to promote germination.
After this time, the seeds are unwrapped and evenly spread in a perforated tray and placed in a lighted place. To prevent dehydration, they are watered every 4 to 6 hours using a watering can.
After 6 days, 8 to 10 kg of very good quality forage is obtained. The resulting forage is then removed from the tray and cut into small pieces before being fed to the animals.
Animals such as sheep, goats and even oxen are very fond of this forage. They are still healthy and produce a lot of meat and milk.