Fodder
Fodder? What is Fodder?
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants, but some is of animal origin. "Fodder" refers particularly to food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them), rather than that which they forage for themselves (see forage). It includes hay, straw, silage, compressed and pelleted feeds, oils and mixed rations, and sprouted grains and legumes.
As the cost of feed continues to go up without improvement on quality we have started looking for alternative ways to feed our ranch animals that will cut cost and improve nutrition.
Fodder is the solution we found.
The process of sprouting grain seed, hydroponically, for feed. This process takes just seven days to go from seed to feed. There are commercial systems and there are components that can be purchased at home improvement stores, on line, and hydroponics stores for the DIY method. Currently we are working a diy method with plans to move to a commercial style seed tray in the future. This style of feed provides food for all the ranch animals except the dogs: ducks, chickens, geese, and the alpacas. The birds took to it immediately. The alpacas needed time to get used to it. Once the switch was made they now tackle me for the goodies!
We started in the green house early spring with our trials. Things went well until the heat picked up and then we had mold and fermentation. Ideal temps are between 60 and 70 degrees. I found that after that is when things went sour. Anything colder than that and it takes twice as long.
We begin with soaking the seed in a bucket for 24 hours. We add about a Tbl of vinegar to encourage the seed and to discourage any mold spores. Then we spread the seed in the tray.
After trying different water methods we decided that an "ebb and flo" method, letting the tray fill at one end and drain at the other, gave us the best results. We made holes in the trays ourselves and use drip irrigation parts from the local hardware store. We put the water on a timer, watering for 5 minutes 4 times a day.
The times that the days were too hot and fermentation began we did not see as failure or waste. We learned from it and our chickens gained some extra feed.
Fodder or animal feed is any agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, goats, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. Most animal feed is from plants, but some is of animal origin. "Fodder" refers particularly to food given to the animals (including plants cut and carried to them), rather than that which they forage for themselves (see forage). It includes hay, straw, silage, compressed and pelleted feeds, oils and mixed rations, and sprouted grains and legumes.
As the cost of feed continues to go up without improvement on quality we have started looking for alternative ways to feed our ranch animals that will cut cost and improve nutrition.
Fodder is the solution we found.
The process of sprouting grain seed, hydroponically, for feed. This process takes just seven days to go from seed to feed. There are commercial systems and there are components that can be purchased at home improvement stores, on line, and hydroponics stores for the DIY method. Currently we are working a diy method with plans to move to a commercial style seed tray in the future. This style of feed provides food for all the ranch animals except the dogs: ducks, chickens, geese, and the alpacas. The birds took to it immediately. The alpacas needed time to get used to it. Once the switch was made they now tackle me for the goodies!
We started in the green house early spring with our trials. Things went well until the heat picked up and then we had mold and fermentation. Ideal temps are between 60 and 70 degrees. I found that after that is when things went sour. Anything colder than that and it takes twice as long.
We begin with soaking the seed in a bucket for 24 hours. We add about a Tbl of vinegar to encourage the seed and to discourage any mold spores. Then we spread the seed in the tray.
After trying different water methods we decided that an "ebb and flo" method, letting the tray fill at one end and drain at the other, gave us the best results. We made holes in the trays ourselves and use drip irrigation parts from the local hardware store. We put the water on a timer, watering for 5 minutes 4 times a day.
The times that the days were too hot and fermentation began we did not see as failure or waste. We learned from it and our chickens gained some extra feed.
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