Fermented feed....Not what you may think

[Happily Retired]

I have been doing a little research on fermented feed and came across a Utube video which outlined a study that was performed by Washington SARE , a copy of their report outlining their methodology and a summary of their findings. Here is the video link:

here is the link to the study: https://projects.sare.org/project-reports/fw18-039/ and a link to their summary of findings: https://projects.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/Foothills-Farm-study_Full-report.pdf

This was geared more to impacts of costs for fermented vs hydrated vs dry feed but I still found it very interesting. The one thing I found interesting was the amount of feed in fermented vs dry was virtually the same. They found no discernible savings in the amount of feed between either method and yet a lot of the Utube videos claim a substantial reduction in using fermented feed.

In any event I just thought this may be of interest to others. Forgive me if this has already been discussed here. I couldn't find any threads on it.

Best Regards

 

[Perris]

But the hens on fermented feed lay 9% more eggs, so "The model indicated that the Fermented feed system was the most profitable owing to greater egg production, despite extra labor costs."

 

[EggSighted4Life]

This was geared more to impacts of costs for fermented vs hydrated vs dry feed but I still found it very interesting. The one thing I found interesting was the amount of feed in fermented vs dry was virtually the same. They found no discernible savings in the amount of feed between either method and yet a lot of the Utube videos claim a substantial reduction in using fermented feed.

Hi there, hope you are enjoying BYC!

After doing only fermented feed (+ free range) for a flock of 82+ birds for 2 full years.. my conclusion and subsequent posts also reflect this.. ZERO savings and a whole lot of time and energy spent on my part. Also NO increase in health of said flock. FF is mostly hype... or it was for me as it did not decrease any feed waste because I didn't have that issue to begin with.

It was a fun experiment and I think good enrichment as a treat.. but ultimately a waste regarding any alleged savings.. on a home production level.

There for a period of time, I actually believed that I was doing less than the best for my birds if I didn't ferment it even though I was already feeding flock raiser which is higher in protein and amino acids than the layer feed I used for my very first flock. Long term evidence did not support that belief.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Perris]

the benefits of fermented feed come with feeding grain, not pelleted commercial feed.
"The feed can be any good-quality dry mash or straight grains." https://projects.sare.org/wp-content/uploads/Factsheet_Foothills-Farm-fermented-feed_final-1.pdf

 

[3KillerBs]

yet a lot of the Utube videos claim a substantial reduction in using fermented feed.

I would strongly suspect that they had a great deal of waste out of their feeders and the savings they've seen come from minimizing waste.

I have one feeder that I can't actually fill because they bill out too much and another feeder that has almost no meaningful waste at all.

 

[Hip Hillbilly Acres]

I would strongly suspect that they had a great deal of waste out of their feeders and the savings they've seen come from minimizing waste.

I have one feeder that I can't actually fill because they bill out too much and another feeder that has almost no meaningful waste at all.

May we see it, please? Can it be obtained from TS?

Thanks.

 

[Shadrach]

I've had a go at fermenting feed. I think the important point is the point @Perris makes and that is some foodstuffs perform better through fermenting than others.
I wrote this what I hope is at least sliightly humerous article on my experience with fermenting feed.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...o-fermented-facts-myths-and-experience.74414/

 

[3KillerBs]

May we see it, please? Can it be obtained from TS?

Thanks.

I talk about it here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/in-praise-of-the-traditional-hanging-feeder.1452899/