To produce 1 kg of green fodder under hydroponic conditions, approximately 1,5-2 liters are needed, compared to 73, 85 and 160 liters required to produce 1 kg of green fooder from barley, alfalfa and grass respectively under field conditions. In hydroponic systems, the consumption is only 2-5%.
In addition, hydroponic systems reguire significantly less space and time than conventional systems, making them ideal for situations with limited yard space. (e.g. production of green fodder for stables within cities).
The root sytem of plants in hydroponic feed is much smaller thn in traditionally grown feed, which means more plants per unit area. it is also easy to set up a hydroponic system in a room with many shelves with multiple levels (vertical farming), minimizing the need for land and resulting in better use of space. An additional benefit is that crop rotation is not necessary, and the same feed species can be grown all year round. using hydroponic technology, it is possible to produce about 600-1000 kg of corn per day in a 7-8 day growth cycle, on an area of only 45-50m2, compared to one hectare required in traditional farming. Other studies have shown that that producing feed for two cows per day only requires one square meter, and milk productivity has increased by 13%.
