Performance of fattening lambs fed hydroponic barley green fodder

This research was conducted to study the performance of barley green fodder (BGF) yield in hydroponic system fed to fattening lambs. In a 16 week experiment، barley grain was grown in hydroponic system، during 5 and 7 days growing periods and the green fodder was included in the diet of fattening lambs، within two different feeding trials. The first trial was aimed to compare the BGF with barley grain in the diet of finishing lambs in which 27 male lambs (with 5 to 6 months age and about 40 kg initial weight) were fed with three experimental diets during a 50 day period. The diets were: 1) control، 2) five day growth BGF and 3) seven day growth BGF. In the second trial، 20 male lambs (with initial weight of 42-43 kg and about 7 months age) were used for a 49 days experiment in which BGF (7 day growth) was compared with forage portion of the diet. In first trial، feed intake، daily gain and feed efficiency were significantly (p<0. 01) decreased in lambs fed BGF، but no statistically differences were found between the treatments in second trial، except for the dry matter intake that was reduced (p<0. 05) in lambs fed BGF. Results of economic evaluation showed that feeding BGF increased the feeding cost، but decreased the income so that resulted in a negative economic balance in both trials. In conclusion، this study revealed that converting barley grain to green fodder in short term hydroponic growing system، as forage for fattening lambs، would not have advantages than the original grain or forage portion of the ration، nevertheless decreased the economic and animal performance، then it is not recommended.