Quote:
Okay...here is
my thought on this - subject to change if I learn something more!
(Getting on soapbox
...When you see this guy, it's a warning that a loooonnnnnggggg post is coming. You can skip the whole post and not get totally bored with my stuff.... read or skip as you desire! )
-When they say a feed is "X% protein" they are referring to the
dried grain/legume, "as-is" and stating the protein level.
Therefore, in essence, the feed is really providing a lower level of protein than it states due to its indigestibility.
-Let's "
pretend",
for example sake, that if we ferment or sprout that same grain, we get the whole amount of protein stated in a totally digestible, form that is useable by the body.
(We can only pretend because there are so many variables such as the nutrients in the soil it's grown in, the length of time fermented/sprouted, chemical fertilizers and pesticides applied, etc.- which all affect useability.)
-I
f the above statements are true, then your fermented or sprouted feed would provide what you've been told you're getting. So say it states 18% - you're getting 18%.
Now here's where the problem lies. When they state the percentages of protein that need to be in feed, this is based on
experimental outcomes. They've learned that to perform at best, birds in different states/category (age, pullet, rooster, broiler..) need a base of the number stated on the packages of
dry grain/legume based feed. However, this
DOES NOT take into account that a good percentage of that protein goes unused by the body.
Because of that, we really DON'T KNOW what the protein percentage should be for each category of bird.
We just know that, adjusting for the loss in grain and legume based feeds, they need to have a minimum of what has been stated through the testing of those kinds of feeds.
So...herein lies a problem.
We really don't know what percent of digestable/useable protein our birds really need to perform at peak level.
It would stand to reason that if you are using whole, fresh, grains and legumes (not "processed" pellets/crumble, etc.) that are fermented or sprouted, you could get away with a lower protein percent. If you're adding
animal protein to the mix -
which is highly digestible/useable - you could probably lower it even more.
I have never seen anything that clearly states a 3% increase in available protein percentage backed by research but I'd like to see it if it's out there.
I have a
hunch that it is somewhat higher than that, but again, it depends on so many variables in how the items were grown (including which pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used which also can bind certain nutrients as well.)
So...the conclusion? Until there are many experimental studies done using sprouted or fermented grain/legume based feeds and lowering the protein given to each category of bird until performance begins to go downhill (or stated another way, finding the lowest protein percentage at which they thrive),
you would have to do your own experimentation to see how performance is affected in your flock.
So...if you're willing to try that, you would at least have anecdotal evidence based on your flock, your particular grain/legume mix and source.
(This is true of calcium and mineral levels as well... If feeds are fermented or sprouted, it reduces (and may totally eliminate) the need for supplementation of calcium and minerals. I WILL post that information soon...still don't have the time at this moment!)
