Azolla Pinnata: A Green, Protein-Rich Fodder Grown at Apollo Farm

If you have ever seen a pond covered with a soft green layer of tiny plants, you may have already seen Azolla.

It may look simple, but this little floating aquatic fern has become increasingly interesting to farmers, poultry keepers and livestock owners because it grows quickly in water and contains a surprisingly useful combination of protein, minerals and other nutrients.

At Apollo Farm, Bhopal, we cultivate Azolla pinnata as part of our integrated farming system. We use it as a supplementary green feed for our Sonali chickens, and we also make fresh Azolla available to people who want to grow it for their own poultry, pets or livestock.

But our approach is slightly different from many traditional Azolla cultivation methods.

We grow our Azolla in water enriched with selected micronutrients. We do not use cow dung or soil in our cultivation system. 

What Is Azolla Pinnata?

Azolla pinnata is a small floating aquatic fern that grows on the surface of water.

It is sometimes called a water fern or mosquito fern and can multiply rapidly under suitable growing conditions.

One of the most interesting things about Azolla is its relationship with a nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium, traditionally referred to as Anabaena azollae. This relationship helps Azolla obtain nitrogen and is one reason the plant can produce substantial biomass without relying on conventional nitrogen fertilisation in the same way as many other crops.

This makes Azolla particularly interesting for small farms, integrated farms and low-space feed production systems.

Why Is Azolla Interesting as Animal Feed?

The biggest attraction is its nutritional profile.

Research published by the Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition, including work from ICAR poultry researchers, reports that Azolla can contain approximately 20.4–28.5% crude protein on a dry-matter basis. It also contains minerals including calcium and phosphorus, along with carotene and other nutrients.

A more recent review published in Poultry Science reports Azolla protein levels broadly around 15–35% of dry matter, depending on the material and growing conditions.

That is impressive for a small aquatic fern.

But there is an important catch:

Fresh Azolla contains a lot of water.

So comparing its fresh weight directly with dry feed ingredients can give a misleading impression of how much protein the animal is actually receiving.

This is why we consider Azolla a supplementary feed/fodder ingredient, not a complete replacement for a properly balanced poultry ration.

What Nutrients Does Azolla Provide?

Azolla can provide a useful combination of:

 Protein

 Essential amino acids

 Calcium and phosphorus

 Minerals

 Carotenoids

 Other plant bioactive compounds

Research has also reported vitamins and pigments including β-carotene, and has noted Azolla's potential to influence egg-yolk colour because of its carotenoid content.

However, the exact nutritional value can change considerably depending on the species, growing conditions, water quality, nutrient availability and harvesting stage.

That is another reason we prefer talking about Azolla honestly rather than giving customers one fixed nutritional number.

Why Do We Feed Azolla to Our Sonali Chickens?

At Apollo Farm, we don't want our poultry operation to depend entirely on purchased feed ingredients.

We are developing an integrated farm system where different parts of the farm can support each other.

Azolla is one part of that system.

Our Sonali chickens receive properly balanced poultry feed along with supplementary farm-grown resources such as:

Azolla 

Moringa 

Black Soldier Fly larvae 

The idea isn't to replace complete poultry nutrition.

The idea is to use locally produced resources intelligently while providing the birds with additional nutrients and variety.

Research reviews have found potential for Azolla supplementation in poultry diets, although inclusion levels need to be controlled because its fibre content can limit feed intake at higher levels.

Why Don't We Use Cow Dung or Soil?

This is one of the questions we get most often.

Traditional Azolla cultivation systems may use organic manure as a nutrient source.

That is not the system we use at Apollo Farm.

Our Azolla is cultivated in water with selected micronutrients, without adding cow dung or soil to the growing medium.

Why?

Because we want a cleaner and more controlled cultivation system.

The Azolla grows directly in nutrient-managed water, making it easier for us to monitor the growing environment and harvest clean plant material.

It also fits better with our goal of producing a clean supplementary green feed for our poultry.

Is Apollo Farm Azolla Organic?

We would be careful with that word.

Simply growing Azolla without cow dung does not automatically make it “organic” in the certified-organic sense.

Unless a farm has the appropriate organic certification and follows the relevant standards, calling the product “certified organic” would be misleading.

What we can honestly say is:

“Azolla cultivated in nutrient-managed water without cow dung or soil.”

That's more transparent—and we think transparency matters.

Azolla for Poultry, Pets and Livestock

Azolla has applications beyond chickens.

Depending on the animal and feeding programme, it has been studied or used as a supplementary feed resource for:

 Poultry

 Ducks

 Cattle

 Goats

 Pigs

and other livestock systems.

Recent research continues to investigate Azolla as a sustainable feed resource because of its protein content, rapid biomass production and potential to reduce dependence on conventional feed ingredients.

For pet owners, however, we would recommend checking the specific animal species and its nutritional requirements before feeding Azolla. A plant that is suitable as a supplement for one species isn't automatically appropriate as a major part of another animal's diet.

Can Azolla Replace Poultry Feed?

No.

And we don't recommend anyone try to do that.

Commercial poultry feed is formulated to provide a specific balance of:

• Protein
• Energy
• Amino acids
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Calcium
• Phosphorus
• Other essential nutrients

Azolla does not provide that complete balance on its own.

Think of it like this:

Complete poultry feed = the main meal

Azolla = a useful supplementary green feed

That is the responsible way to use it.

Can Azolla Help Reduce Feed Costs?

Potentially, yes—but don't expect miracles.

If Azolla is produced efficiently on the farm, it can provide a locally produced source of biomass and nutrients. This may help reduce dependence on some purchased feed ingredients when used appropriately.

But the actual economic benefit depends on:

• Production cost
• Yield
• Labour
• Water availability
• Nutrient inputs
• Harvesting cost
• How much can safely be included in the diet
• The price of conventional feed

ICAR-linked research notes the economic potential of Azolla as a supplementary feed, while also warning that excessive inclusion can reduce its benefits because of its fibre content.

So at Apollo Farm, our objective is feed-cost optimisation, not claiming that Azolla will make poultry feed free.

Why Fresh Azolla Is Different From Dried Azolla

Fresh Azolla contains a large amount of water.

Dried Azolla is much more concentrated because most of that water has been removed.

This means you should never compare 1 kg fresh Azolla with 1 kg dry feed on a simple weight-for-weight basis.

The meaningful comparison is based on dry matter and nutrient contribution.

This is particularly important when farmers formulate poultry diets.

Why Buy Azolla From Apollo Farm?

You can find Azolla cultures and starter material from many places.

So why buy from us?

Because we don't just sell Azolla.

We actually use it ourselves.

Our Azolla is part of our own poultry system.

We cultivate it.

We harvest it.

We feed it to our Sonali chickens.

And we have built our cultivation system around nutrient-managed water without cow dung or soil.

That gives us practical experience with the crop rather than simply reselling a packet of Azolla culture.

What You Get From Apollo Farm

Depending on the product you purchase, Apollo Farm can provide:

 Fresh Azolla

 Azolla starter culture

 Cultivation guidance

 Practical poultry feeding experience

 Advice on integrating Azolla into a farm system

Our goal is to help you grow Azolla successfully, not just sell you something once.

Azolla and the Apollo Farm Integrated Farming Model

This is where Azolla becomes particularly exciting for us.

Apollo Farm isn't designed as a poultry farm that only buys feed and sells chickens.

We are building an integrated system.

Moringa

↓

Farm-grown plant resource

Azolla

↓

Green supplementary feed

BSF larvae

↓

Alternative protein source

Sonali chickens

↓

Meat + eggs

Poultry manure

↓

Farm nutrient recycling

Farm crops

↓

More resources for the farm

The goal is to create a system where waste from one part of the farm can become a resource for another part wherever it is safe, practical and nutritionally appropriate.

That's the bigger idea behind Apollo Farm.

A Small Plant With a Big Potential

Azolla may not look impressive.

It is tiny.

It floats on water.

And at first glance, it doesn't look like something that could have much value.

But once you understand its biology and nutritional potential, you begin to see why farmers are paying attention to it.

It grows in water.

It produces protein-rich biomass.

It requires very little land area.

It can be harvested repeatedly.

And it can become a useful part of an integrated livestock and poultry system.

That is why we grow it at Apollo Farm.

Fresh Azolla Pinnata from Apollo Farm

Grown in nutrient-managed water.

No cow dung. No soil.

Grown by us. Used by us.

Apollo Farm — Growing Excellence, Naturally.