Using azolla as livestock feed

Source image: Agrotechnomarket.com

Azolla is a type of fern mostly utilized as livestock feed besides as bio-fertilizer for wetland paddy. Azolla was found to be a very nutritive and Azolla can be used as cheap organic feed substitute for dairy cattle, poultry, pig, fish etc. Azolla belongs to the family of azollaceace.

To make livestock feed, Azolla should be harvested with a plastic tray having holes of 1sq cm mesh size. And then, Azolla should be washed to get rid of the cow dung smell. Washing also helps in separating the small plantlets which drain out of the tray. The plantlets along with water in the bucket can be poured back into the original bed.

When introducing azolla as livestock feed, the fresh azolla should be mixed with commercial feed in 1:1 ratio to feed livestock. After a fortnight of feeding on azolla mixed with concentrate, livestock may be fed with azolla without added concentrate.

Why Azolla can be used as livestock feed?

Azolla is rich in protein, essential minerals like Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Copper, Manganese etc apart from appreciable quantities of vitamins A and vitamins B12.

It is also found to contain almost all the essential Amino acids, many probiotics, Biopolymers and B carotene.

The above mention bio-chemical constitution along with the rapid multiplication rate makes Azolla ideal organic feed substitutes for livestock.