Evaluation of Nutritive Values of Wheat Hydroponic Fodder as Feed Supplement for Small Ruminants During Dry Season in Semi – Arid Zone of Northern Nigeria

The study was carried out in two phases at the animal farm of Yobe State College of Agriculture, Science and Technology Gujba, Damaturu. To produce hydroponic wheat fodder by using locally available materials and to determine its nutritional composition. In the first phase, the hydroponic wheat fodder was produced by sprouting 0.7 kg wheat grain in a 45 cm X 19 cm tray for seven days and obtained 1 kg fodder with 14.5 cm height. In the second phase, the harvested fodder sample was taken to laboratory for proximate analysis where dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract, ash and nitrogen free extract were determined as 79.65%, 14.57%, 9.13%, 19.25%, 2.65% and 34.05% respectively. It was concluded that the fodder will be produced with locally available materials and within a short time (9 days). And the nutritional composition revealed that the nutrient compositions can serve as supplement to a ruminant animal during dry season or at any time when green pasture is not available.