Rye seed as fodder

MsPoultry

Songster
5 Years
Aug 9, 2014
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I want to start my own homemade fodder system but when i went to get seed the feedstore had rye and no barley which i was hoping to get.Will rye work too?
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I'd like more information re rye inhibiting growth. Also, that Maine article appeared to be referencing rye grain. It's not clear that sprouted rye fodder would have the same characteristics.
 
I'd like more information re rye inhibiting growth. Also, that Maine article appeared to be referencing rye grain. It's not clear that sprouted rye fodder would have the same characteristics.

That might be the case (I don't know), but why risk it when it's not necessary?
 
Including Rye in Poultry Diets

The nutrient content of rye is very similar to that of wheat and corn, but its nutritive value for poultry is very poor. When rye is included in poultry diets, the poultry experience depressed growth performance and/or reduced egg production. The use of rye in turkey and broiler diets results in sticky droppings that add moisture to the litter and can cause problems with ammonia. The fecal material can also gather around the vent, giving birds "pasty butts."
Rye grain is not recommended for growing chickens (such as broilers and pullets) and turkeys. Including high levels of rye grain in poultry diets typically causes problems for growing chicks. Rye is composed in small part (about 3.5%) of water-soluble, highly viscous nonstarch polysaccharides referred to as pentosans or arabinoxylans. These polysaccharides interfere with poultry's digestion of all the nutrients in a diet—especially the fats, fat-soluble vitamins, starch, and protein. Chicks fed diets that include rye grain produce wet and sticky fecal material. There is also a higher moisture level in litter, increasing the problem of ammonia production.

Rye may be fed to laying hens, but it should be introduced only after the hens have reached peak egg production (about 40 weeks of age). Rye should not compose more than 40% of the diet. Birds that consume rye may have sticky droppings, which can increase the incidence of stained eggs.
Although there are commercial enzymes available that can counteract the negative effects of rye, reluctance to using rye grain as a feed ingredient persists. The primary concern is the presence of ergot alkaloids. Ergot, a fungus, is the most common disease of rye. The fungus can be very toxic if present in sufficient concentrations. Ergot is less of a problem as newer cultivars of rye are developed that are resistant to ergot. Controlling wild grasses around field borders also reduces the chances of an ergot problem.

Full disclosure, I am not a fan of fodder but because we are talking about a fungus, it's going to be worse when it's wet so no don't use it as your fodder grain. No reason not to use it. I would just toss it out on the ground as scratch a little at a time until it's gone.
 
D'oh!
But again, this is referring to grain. I'd like to find out if the same applies to days-old sprouts. And wouldn't a drop of peroxide in the water take care of the ergot?
What site was that from, Percheron chick?
 
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