FERMENTED FEEDS...anyone using them?

[aatx]

Most of them seem to love the food, so I really don't think that's what it is. He's just a bit untrusting of new things.

I sat out a tiny amount of regular starter just in case.

Three deaths were Dominique bantams and that's what the weaker one is as well, so I think it might just be a bad batch. The other two deaths were Silkies. They could have gotten a head injury or something. One went down really quickly.

 

[Tikkijane]

Somehow in my hunt and peck reading on BYC on fermented feeds, I didn't pick up how you tell when your mash is fermented.  I thought that when it was sour smelling, it must be fermented.  So, I see the 4 days you recommend to wait, but what are the signs of fermentation?  Bubbles?  When I make kimchee (essentially hot Korean sauerkraut), I figure it is just a matter of degree of fermentation.  If you let it set very long, it gets quite sour and wonderful, if you like kimchee, but you can stop at a lighter degree of fermentation, if you don't like it that fermented. Wouldn't chicken feed be the same way?

Sure, but why not wait and get optimum nutrition? It gets BETTER as it sets; particularky initial ferment when the SCOBY is forming.

You will see bubbles often by day 2- wait it out. It's not done yet! Let it go the full 3-4 days. Your secondary batches will ferment faster.

 

[debp]

I can see that more fully fermented would move the next batch along and have more SCOBY in it. I do love the ease of this FF, as I was losing so much feed as they got bigger and just kept kicking shavings and pooped in their dry food feeders. When I put out wet food, whether fermented or not so fermented, they clean that right up. And, just as for us with fermented food, its good for them! Win-win.

 

[LeslieDJoyce]

Here is another good study. http://www.ajol.info/index.php/nifoj/article/view/97764

Here is a copy & paste of the title of the study and the abstract ... downloads of the entire study available at the link above:

..........................................

Enzymatic Reduction of Anti-nutritional Factors in Fermenting Soybeans by Lactobacillus plantarumIsolates from Fermenting Cereals
SM Adeyemo, AA Onilude​

Abstract

Soybean is rich in dietary protein but contains some anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), including phytates, tannins, trypsin inhibitors and oligosaccharides. It is used with cereals in weaning foods to improve the protein content
and supply essential amino acids. The objective of this work, therefore, was to use microorganisms, specifically Lactobacillus plantarum and the enzymes it produces to reduce anti-nutritional factors and improve the nutritional composition of such food blends. Nine strains of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from spontaneously fermenting cereals, identified and characterised, were selected based on the abundant production of alpha-galactosidase for the fermentation of the legume. Samples were subjected to fermentation for 5 days and the reduction of anti-nutritional factors was monitored. Anti-nutritional factors and alpha-galactosidase were determined by UV-spectrophotometry. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p = 0.05. Fermentation reduced the tannin content in the raw samples from 1.93 to 0.12 mg/g. Phytate content reduced from 1.16 to 0.04 mg/g. The trypsin inhibitor and protease inhibitor also reduced from 1.20 to 0.010 and 1.2 to 0.020 respectively. The production of alpha-galactosidase by L. plantarum (1.8 unit/ml) enhanced the reduction while the nutritional composition of the food blend in which the soybean was added improved significantly. The use of alpha-galactosidase enzyme by Lactobacillus plantarum from local food sources is thus shown to reduce anti-nutritional factors in soybeans, which can be of benefit in enhancing the nutritional quality of cereal-legume gruels.​

...................................

So ... "backslopping" the fermentation of the soybean with fermented grains ... then fermenting the soybean for 5 days ... really reduced the anti-nutritional factors of the soybeans. But the abstract doesn't say if the soybeans were whole or milled, raw or roasted or extruded ...

If someone got access to the whole study, that question might be answered. Along with a lot of other questions.

 

[LindaB220]

Here is another good study. http://www.ajol.info/index.php/nifoj/article/view/97764

Here is a copy & paste of the title of the study and the abstract ... downloads of the entire study available at the link above:

..........................................

Enzymatic Reduction of Anti-nutritional Factors in Fermenting Soybeans by Lactobacillus plantarumIsolates from Fermenting Cereals
SM Adeyemo, AA Onilude​

Abstract

Soybean is rich in dietary protein but contains some anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), including phytates, tannins, trypsin inhibitors and oligosaccharides. It is used with cereals in weaning foods to improve the protein content
and supply essential amino acids. The objective of this work, therefore, was to use microorganisms, specifically Lactobacillus plantarum and the enzymes it produces to reduce anti-nutritional factors and improve the nutritional composition of such food blends. Nine strains of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from spontaneously fermenting cereals, identified and characterised, were selected based on the abundant production of alpha-galactosidase for the fermentation of the legume. Samples were subjected to fermentation for 5 days and the reduction of anti-nutritional factors was monitored. Anti-nutritional factors and alpha-galactosidase were determined by UV-spectrophotometry. Data were analysed using ANOVA at p = 0.05. Fermentation reduced the tannin content in the raw samples from 1.93 to 0.12 mg/g. Phytate content reduced from 1.16 to 0.04 mg/g. The trypsin inhibitor and protease inhibitor also reduced from 1.20 to 0.010 and 1.2 to 0.020 respectively. The production of alpha-galactosidase by L. plantarum (1.8 unit/ml) enhanced the reduction while the nutritional composition of the food blend in which the soybean was added improved significantly. The use of alpha-galactosidase enzyme by Lactobacillus plantarum from local food sources is thus shown to reduce anti-nutritional factors in soybeans, which can be of benefit in enhancing the nutritional quality of cereal-legume gruels.
​

...................................

So ... "backslopping" the fermentation of the soybean with fermented grains ... then fermenting the soybean for 5 days ... really reduced the anti-nutritional factors of the soybeans. But the abstract doesn't say if the soybeans were whole or milled, raw or roasted or extruded ...

If someone got access to the whole study, that question might be answered. Along with a lot of other questions.​

That's what I wanted to know about the tannins in sorghum. Great.

 

[lchickengirl]

Has Anyone Used Ground Almonds In Fermented Feed For chickens?

 

[Beekissed]

You might find your chicks start to develop little feed balls on their feet from tramping in the feed and not having any rough bedding on which to rub off the feed afterwards. I've never had it happen but several have reported it and they are usually using open feeders and no shavings in their brooders.

Yep!

No way! My Dels were just huge hogs...much like meaty chicks...and would swarm the feeder like ants at a picnic. They are hungry hippos! They would even get that butt bulge like a meat chick.

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Quote: I had some very young chicks get balls of feed on their feet, I had to soak them to get off. Very difficult to remove. I changed the feeder--problem solved . I think it can really cause a problem so folks need to watch for it. Mine were on shavings, too. Mine go outside daily now so that really helps, too.

 

[aatx]

You might find your chicks start to develop little feed balls on their feet from tramping in the feed and not having any rough bedding on which to rub off the feed afterwards. I've never had it happen but several have reported it and they are usually using open feeders and no shavings in their brooders.

I've been doing twice daily checks for pasty butt and looking at their feet at the same time. I've had a bit of food stuck to a silkie or two, but not much. They spent Friday on shelf liner, Saturday on paper towels, Sunday back on shelf liner, and today I laid down a layer of paper towels over most of the shelf liner. When I get home from work, they get switched over to pine shavings on bottom (with a few paper towels on top). I purchased the larger pine shavings instead of the fine stuff. Hoping that will help them not to eat it..

 

[Tumbleweed Farm]

Quote: