Fodder

[nayeli]

I know there is an OLD thread on fodder, but I just came across the idea on a blog and was wondering where ya'll get your barley, wheat, etc for fodder? The only place I've seen so far that had barley is whole foods, and its $2 a lb there. I picked up a little bit anyway just for a test run but where can I get it in bulk for cheap?

 

[Mister B]

http://www.mannaharvest.net/barley-pearl-25-lbs-by-bulk.html

 

[nayeli]

Thank you, but shipping would make it almost the same price.

 

[Mister B]

Sorry. Have you checked your local farmer's co-op? Mine is a little cheaper than the feed stores and the TSC up the road.

 

[nayeli]

I didn't see it at my TSC but I'll call. I've emailed the feed store I frequent and I'll check the other.

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

Hey there nayeli,

I feed my birds a combination of barley sprouts, pakaged feed, and full time free range in pasture, vineyard, and compost bins. I sprout .75 lbs of barley each day. I WAS getting barley from the local feed store for apx 40 cents / pound, but more recently was able to get organic non-GMO barley for 35 cents / pound. It's from Bar Ale grains in California - but they only sell it in large quantities so you'd need to get together with some other farmers. I got 400 pounds which will do me for quite a while!

Contrary to some opinion, sprouted fodder is not more nutritious than the dry grain. In fact it loses a little in the sprouting. But as part of a full feeding regimen, it can help fill out the feed bill and help keep costs down. And my birds LOVE it.

 

[nayeli]

Thank Ya'll. My local feed store has other choices, just not barley. I think I will try something they have in stock to see how it does.

 

[RichnSteph]

I sprout .75 lbs of barley each day.

I hate to sound like an idiot but when you say you sprout barley what does that mean? Do you put some water on it and let it grow into a plant?

RichnSteph

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

Hey Rich (or Steph!),

'Fodder' is a term used these days to refer to the practice of sprouting certain grains to create a feed for livestock - chickens, goats, horses, etc. barley, wheat, oats, are all used.

In a nutshell, the grain is soaked, drained, then watered frequently usually for a few days (5 being pretty typical). It is harvested when the sprouts are a couple inches long. The result - a fresh fodder that has both green material as well as grain. Usually weight (water weight really) increases apx 4 fold. So my .75 pounds of grain results in apx 3 lbs of fodder for the flock.

I use barley because its cheap, available, and relatively one of the more nutritious grans. But you can use any number of grains.

If you'd like a more detailed description of my sprouting process, let me know.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Hey there nayeli,

I feed my birds a combination of barley sprouts, pakaged feed, and full time free range in pasture, vineyard, and compost bins. I sprout .75 lbs of barley each day. I WAS getting barley from the local feed store for apx 40 cents / pound, but more recently was able to get organic non-GMO barley for 35 cents / pound. It's from Bar Ale grains in California - but they only sell it in large quantities so you'd need to get together with some other farmers. I got 400 pounds which will do me for quite a while!

Contrary to some opinion, sprouted fodder is not more nutritious than the dry grain. In fact it loses a little in the sprouting. But as part of a full feeding regimen, it can help fill out the feed bill and help keep costs down. And my birds LOVE it.

I read an article last night that said sprouting the grains made the nutrients more absorb-able in the digestive tract, so more nutritious in that they can get more nutrients from it sprouted than dried grain.

Do you have any research that says it is not more nutritious? The article I was reading didn't have any studies to back it up, so I am wondering if you are right.