-15% feeding cost. Hydroponic fodder cheaper than silage+concentrates

[Korney]

Dear collegues,
If I suggest you fresh hydroponic green fodder daily ration for milking cow balanced (NEL= 8,2 MJ, Sugar=20%, DM=28%, protein=18%) for 30 liters yield for £3,49. 35 liters daily ration for £3,99 and 40 for £4,49. The ration fully supplement grass/corn silage and concentrates. Everyday you get fresh hydroponic grass for your cows. No grass storage, no waste of silage, no acidosis, but palatable fresh high energy fodder for your healthy and happy dairy cow. Suitable for 100+ heads herd. Make sense? All contradictions are welcome!

 

[jockthethistle]

How much electic does it use !? jtt

 

[Beef farmer]

How much electic does it use !? jtt

His cost must include electric,time and payback on start up. If not his cost are pointless.

 

[Korney]

How much electic does it use !? jtt

All costs already included in the price of daily ration. No additional costs for farmer.

 

[PostHarvest]

Over a period of at least 25 years, I have been reading advertisements and seeing TV promotions by a series of companies that have been promoting hydroponic production units for dairy cows and other stock. They seem to be like main importers for Belarus tractors; Every couple of years another one comes along. Whilst I am sure there must be particular circumstances where a hydroponic unit might be viable, I've yet to see one in use on a commercial dairy farm. I just don't see one being able to feed a 350 cow herd at a lower cost or labour requirement than a well run silage operation. The terminology used by the OP suggests to me that he is writing from the USA where the cost of electricity is very different from the UK.

 

[Korney]

Over a period of at least 25 years, I have been reading advertisements and seeing TV promotions by a series of companies that have been promoting hydroponic production units for dairy cows and other stock. They seem to be like main importers for Belarus tractors; Every couple of years another one comes along. Whilst I am sure there must be particular circumstances where a hydroponic unit might be viable, I've yet to see one in use on a commercial dairy farm. I just don't see one being able to feed a 350 cow herd at a lower cost or labour requirement than a well run silage operation. The terminology used by the OP suggests to me that he is writing from the USA where the cost of electricity is very different from the UK.

I will feed 350 heads easily for above mentioned prices which 20% less usual silage+concentrate diet. You shouldn't worry about unit cost or labour or anything else, I just supply you with fresh green fodder year-around. You won't buy fodder unit, you will buy 60 kg of fresh fodder high energy for you cow.

 

[Nearly]

Why not just feed the barley seed?

 

[RobFZS]

One day most farms will run all their electric of catching the methane cattle produce and producing electric from it somehow, but but but

This might seem profitable for the short term, but like everything, everyone catches up, so people will have less land, more cows and what does that do to the milk price? It's hard enough trying to sell dairy to people who seem to have swallowed the vegan agenda, without more factory farming

 

[Korney]

Over a period of at least 25 years, I have been reading advertisements and seeing TV promotions by a series of companies that have been promoting hydroponic production units for dairy cows and other stock. They seem to be like main importers for Belarus tractors; Every couple of years another one comes along. Whilst I am sure there must be particular circumstances where a hydroponic unit might be viable, I've yet to see one in use on a commercial dairy farm. I just don't see one being able to feed a 350 cow herd at a lower cost or labour requirement than a well run silage operation. The terminology used by the OP suggests to me that he is writing from the USA where the cost of electricity is very different from the UK.

By the way 20 years ago the mobile phone was as huge bag and cost one thousand per month. Now it is phone, computer, photo and video camera in your pocket.

 

[Korney]

One day most farms will run all their electric of catching the methane cattle produce and producing electric from it somehow, but but but

This might seem profitable for the short term, but like everything, everyone catches up, so people will have less land, more cows and what does that do to the milk price? It's hard enough trying to sell dairy to people who seem to have swallowed the vegan agenda, without more factory farming

That's why we should worry about costs and always should look for more efficient technologies. IMHO

 

[Korney]

Why not just feed the barley seed?
View attachment 293580

The cow will dye soon if it eats only barley seed. It should eat grass

 

[PostHarvest]

Sir I dispute your figures. 20 years ago, my mobile phone cost me much less than a hundred a month, far less than the thousands you quote. I try to keep up with innovation including LED lighting and energy efficient systems but the research data I have states that growing hydroponic barley to feed dairy cattle costs 4 times more than feeding them hay or silage. The system is being promoted by numerous companies in a number of countries, but one thing we do pretty well in the UK (and Ireland) is to grow grass.

 

[Devon James]

@OldSpot

 

[Korney]

Sir I dispute your figures. 20 years ago, my mobile phone cost me much less than a hundred a month, far less than the thousands you quote. I try to keep up with innovation including LED lighting and energy efficient systems but the research data I have states that growing hydroponic barley to feed dairy cattle costs 4 times more than feeding them hay or silage. The system is being promoted by numerous companies in a number of countries, but one thing we do pretty well in the UK (and Ireland) is to grow grass.

Sir, thank you for correction the thousand was 25-28 years ago. I'm absolutely sure that you are the best in growing grass. According your figures it costs you less than pound to feed one cow for 30 liters a day if you said that it 4 times more expensive? Is it true? My figure £3,49 per 30 liters. The average feeding cost about 60-65% of milk price or around £4 per day per cow. If your cost only 1 pound for 30 liters, your cost only 15%, so you are super effecient and I only can congradulate you with so perfect results! Is it really only £1 per cow per day for 30 liters yield on your farm?

 

[Mr Mackay]

I have never been able to visualise a Hydrophonics unit big enough to provide all the green feed you mention . It never computes in my head

 

[gremlinatrix]

My cows peak at 30L/day on 1kg concentrate and the rest grazed grass. My grass costs 14p/kg to grow. Assuming 2.2kgMS/Cow would take 18kg of 12.5ME grass, then the grass cost is £2.52+0.17p for concentrate = Total feed costs per cow/per day of £2.69. Grazed grass is always the cheapest feed. What cost are you putting on feeding your stuff out and slurry handling etc?

 

[Nearly]

The cow will dye soon if it eats only barley seed. It should eat grass

The barley will make the green feed on the farm go further. I've priced Hydro on an intensive goat dairy unit and it was cheaper to rent land and grow maize.

By the way 20 years ago the mobile phone was as huge bag and cost one thousand per month. Now it is phone, computer, photo and video camera in your pocket.

20 years ago they were pushing hydroponics as the future of farming, it hasn't taken off like mobile phones have.

 

[Clay52]

I've seen these advertised before as cheaper feed but when looked into the cost there were some very funny figures.


On the one I saw they were trying to compare the hydroponic feed at 15% DM as equivilient energy to grain at 85-90%DM on a fresh weight basis. Haha.

How about a breakdown of the costs.

 

[Clay52]

I will feed 350 heads easily for above mentioned prices which 20% less usual silage+concentrate diet. You shouldn't worry about unit cost or labour or anything else, I just supply you with fresh green fodder year-around. You won't buy fodder unit, you will buy 60 kg of fresh fodder high energy for you cow.

60kg of fresh grass isn't enough to feed a cow.

 

[Korney]

My cows peak at 30L/day on 1kg concentrate and the rest grazed grass. My grass costs 14p/kg to grow. Assuming 2.2kgMS/Cow would take 18kg of 12.5ME grass, then the grass cost is £2.52+0.17p for concentrate = Total feed costs per cow/per day of £2.69. Grazed grass is always the cheapest feed. What cost are you putting on feeding your stuff out and slurry handling etc?

Thank you for your figures. The maximum yield my friends are getting from grass is 20 liters and feed from 10 to 20 kg of concentrates daily to get 30+, but more than 10 kg create the digestive problems. How long you save peak lactation on this diet? 14p per kg in film bale?