Protein uptake increase from fermenting feed?

[LaurenRitz]

I am feeding my birds a mix I made myself. From the research I have done it should be a balanced feed and contain everything the birds need. Problem is, I intended to use duckweed to bring the protein amount up to the 18% goal, and somehow the bucket of dried duckweed got misplaced when I moved. The mix itself is around 12-14% protein.

I am fermenting their feed, but I can't find any studies that show the increase in protein uptake with fermented feed. Lots of studies that show it happens, but no amounts that I can find.

Does anyone have those numbers?

 

[Perris]

this has some https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579121005915

It also suggests, like other recent papers on the topic, that we should look beyond a reductionist % protein figure; there are lots of other elements in a healthy and productive diet, especially one that utilizes the microbiota in the GIT to metabolize some nutrients into a form that the chickens can then digest.

 

[LaurenRitz]

My concern right at this moment is if they can get the protein they need until I can get duckweed production going. I have chosen fermentation primarily because it may keep the birds healthier.

 

[Perris]

if you read the paper I linked to you'll see it went down a bit with the 3 things they chose to ferment, but they still got better eggs. And it does at least have some numbers.

If there's anything out there specifically on duckweed numbers, I suggest you search using the proper botanical (Latin) name for it.

 

[Geena]

Are these meat birds that you are feeding? Will they be confined to a pen?

 

[LaurenRitz]

They will eventually free range. This is the first generation of a possible landrace project. They are dual purpose birds.

 

[LaurenRitz]

if you read the paper I linked to you'll see it went down a bit with the 3 things they chose to ferment, but they still got better eggs. And it does at least have some numbers.

If there's anything out there specifically on duckweed numbers, I suggest you search using the proper botanical (Latin) name for it.

Depending on variety, duckweed is anywhere from 35 to 50% protein. I chose it because it is a resource that many people are trying to get rid of, so it was free.

I found another study that referenced the one you linked and I'll read it next. Thanks for your help!

 

[Perris]

I chose it because it is a resource that many people are trying to get rid of, so it was free.

that is how so many 'new' products get started! Good luck with that.

Have you thought about mealworms? They're easy, and cheap as chips when you grow them yourself.

 

[LaurenRitz]

that is how so many 'new' products get started! Good luck with that.

Have you thought about mealworms? They're easy, and cheap as chips when you grow them yourself.

Not set up for worms yet, although that is planned for the future. Right now I'm working on setting up basic infrastructure. I probably shouldn't have gotten chickens yet, but the coop came with the property so I ran with it.