Fodder sprouting systems, anyone?

tm_bunnyloft":12nob7mj said:

Thinking about using these trays.

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Tm, I would use the 10" x 20" tray and just tear chunks off of it. That way you can give does with litters and growout pens large pieces and smaller amounts to bucks and dry does.

Nyctra":2vqueisr said:

It's funny...for the past several days I've been giving my NZW mama a good clump of oat sprouts when I play with the babies. Maybe this is why she's been eating so little of her pellets? lol

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I'll bet you're right. Why would she want to eat pellets if she can get delicious, nutritious sprouts?

I'm anxious to give it a try and see how it dries too. Wouldn't it be awesome if it dries well and can be used to replace some of the hay. And use it in the nest box and such as well.

I need to get moved so I can get to work on all my new projects I have planned.

Never thought about drying it and using like hay. You guys are so smart I'm going to try this today.
I grow fodder in litter boxes that I bought at the Dollar Store. I've used them to start seeds and sprout wheat grass for about 7 years. They really hold up well. Some are slotted for fodder and others are left intact to catch the drips. Mine yield about 5# of fodder, but I spread the grain thin...just enough to cover the bottom. I hope the pictures come through from my facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...48496022.53121.147308185414915&type=1&theater

Diane

I started a couple of trays. They sprouted slowly and then started to mold, so I'm dumping them and its time to start over. I am going back to all of the site links listed here and also looking for further information as well. I would like to order the system from Weehavyn But just can't afford it right now. So going to try and replicate it myself.

__________ Thu Nov 08, 2012 1:32 pm __________

I think I am gonna start a blog on growing my experience with growing and feeding fodder.

I've tried sprouting the "gourmet" bird seed that I bought from TSC -- its a mix of wheat, milo, and sunflower seeds. Well, it sprouted but very slowly and while I don't think it molded, Mother said it "smelled fermented". I don't think this seed will work well for this project so it is back to the drawing board.

frecs, i have also sprouted from birdseed (from tsc as well) and got the same results. only mine moulded after it sprouted but before it actually grew up and fodder. and i found that my goats and rabbits didnt eat the sprouts.
though i am hoping to try and plant some of the birdseed (wheat, milo, sunflowerseed) next spring and see if it grows any.

homemade sprouter video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKqMYd_QRhU

flood and drain sprout system
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_6hfN_4 ... re=related

You have to wash the seed in a solution to kill any spores on it...dilute vinegar, Hydrogen peroxide, or bleach, or at least that is what I am reading. We have not tried it yet, but I plan to very soon. Also, the temps have to be 55f-70f for optimal growth and no mold.

Adding a touch of peroxide to the initial soaking water is supposed to help prevent mould. I can't remember the ratio, but it was just a small amount.

Read thru this blog post, it will help...they have already worked thru some of the most common issues.

http://pacapride.wordpress.com/2012/06/ ... installed/

I soaked the BOSS Last Thursday, and left them in the tray. By Tuesday I was getting a little discouraged, with highs in the 40s and lows in the low 30s. Well yesterday I noticed little roots, so I put together the greenhouse and put the tray in. Yippee.

The sprouts/fodder need to be watered multiple times daily. I have two pans sprouted and two buckets soaking. I thought it was mold but then learned that the seeds will sometimes grow "hair" on them during sprouting. And that is perfectly normal and safe. This PDF gives a bunch of specific detail.....http://www.half-pinthomestead.com/files ... Fodder.pdf

I put bleach in the water in the initial soaking in the bucket.

__________ Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:27 pm __________

I sent Hubby to the feed mill to pick up 100 pounds of barley. I hope to have better luck with that than the oats.<br /><br />__________ Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:29 pm __________<br /><br />starlighthill HOw many times a day do you water your sprouts? ARe their drain holes in the pans? Details please

Supposedly, oats sprout pretty good in cold temps, and will even sprout in the fridge.

Yes. Barley as well, and barley is higher in protein and such.
http://www.earthineer.com/content.php?blogid=11229

Here is a run down of the nutrition of Barley as fodder each day.....

Crude Protein and Crude Fiber changes in Barley Sprouted over a 7-day period


Crude Protein Crude Fiber

Original seed 12.7% 5.4%

Day 1 12.7% 5.6%

Day 2 13.0% 5.9%

Day 3 13.6% 5.8%

Day 4 13.4% 7.4%

Day 5 13.9% 9.7%

Day 6 14.0% 10.8%

Day 7 15.5% 14.1%

Daily Recommendations:
PROTEIN— 14--20% protein, depending on the type of feed. It is said that
rabbits in an unheated environment need a 2% higher protein level.
(Not sure if this is true but thought I would share just the same)
FIBER— 12—22% Some sources say it should not be less than 18% minimum. The
higher the better.
FAT—Should Not Exceed 3%.
CALCIUM— 1%. Could be more in nursing and pregnant does.

More information on the nutrition of barley grass/fodder.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/35610 ... ley-grass/<br /><br />__________ Thu Nov 08, 2012 10:39 pm __________<br /><br />http://www.foddersolutions.org/nutrition
This page has tons of good information. It states that:

The peak spectrum of nutrients are available at the 6 day growth stage, this is when the barley sprouts are harvested. The nutritional breakdown of the barley sprouts shows that the sprouts are very high in energy and protein and contain sufficient of these to meet the needs of most stock. Barley grass is considered the most nutritional of the green grasses containing an abundance of nutrients unsurpassed by any other type of grass.

tm_bunnyloft":1jsi8xnm said:

starlighthill HOw many times a day do you water your sprouts? ARe their drain holes in the pans? Details please

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I try to rinse them twice/day. Sometimes it is just once. Twice is better.
Yes, drain slots were cut in the bottom with a hot knife. I also cut some in each end so all the water drains out when they are tilted.
Diane

Barley is on my list of impossible things to get. Oats and BOSS are my only choices.

And although my sprouts are sprouting, it's been 8 days and all I see are tiny roots, so they are not going to have shoots in 7-8 days at this temp.
I am still thinking of setting up the grow lab at school or borrowing it.
The rope lights are just as expensive as seed mats.

I think the oats from TSC are heat treated oats or really old. If thats the case they will be hard to grow. I got a bag of oats from there and they are taking days to barely start to sprout. So I had my husband go pick me up a bag of barley from the local mill and have some of that soaking. I started a bucket of each barley and oats at the same time to see how they do comparing them to each other. I am going to pick up another couple of buckets so that I can keep them in the buckets for two days at a time. See if that boosts the growing time a bit.<br /><br />__________ Fri Nov 09, 2012 1:44 pm __________<br /><br />We are planning to make a System like on one of the links above. I will do a tutorial as I do and a list of parts and where to find them as well. You should be able to make a huge system for around $100. The pumps are around $20 to $30 and so are the timers. PVC isnt very expensive and neither are the tubs. Its just a mater of getting it all set up. I may be able to get everything at a home depot or a menards even. The one thing I would order are the tubs and I found a place with small size tubs fairly cheap.

tm_bunnyloft":3dct42jv said:

I think the oats from TSC are heat treated oats or really old. If thats the case they will be hard to grow. I got a bag of oats from there and they are taking days to barely start to sprout. So I had my husband go pick me up a bag of barley from the local mill and have some of that soaking. I started a bucket of each barley and oats at the same time to see how they do comparing them to each other. I am going to pick up another couple of buckets so that I can keep them in the buckets for two days at a time. See if that boosts the growing time a bit.

__________ Fri Nov 09, 2012 1:44 pm __________

We are planning to make a System like on one of the links above. I will do a tutorial as I do and a list of parts and where to find them as well. You should be able to make a huge system for around $100. The pumps are around $20 to $30 and so are the timers. PVC isnt very expensive and neither are the tubs. Its just a mater of getting it all set up. I may be able to get everything at a home depot or a menards even. The one thing I would order are the tubs and I found a place with small size tubs fairly cheap.

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They sprout pretty fast in the tubs in the summer, so I think it's the temps. I don't think I'm going to get that involved, but it will be interesting to see you put it together.

I'll be watching your progress with setting up the system. I have a bunch of PVC 1" pipe from a failed chicken-tractor-building-project that I can use to build shelves. I hope to make both an "indoor" and an "outdoor" shelving system with plastic cover. I don't think I will go to the extent of the automatic watering system. Especially not until I see if this even works.

I am still having problems finding grain to sprout. I contacted a company in NC that mills livestock feed and they were willing to do a 50/50 mix of wheat and barley but I'd have to buy 40 bags!! I've emailed them back to see if I can get the grains separate -- one bag each. We'll see.

Totally crazy that it is this difficult to find whole grains!

I have discovered that over watering the grains will slow sprouting as well. I am going to try some different amounts of initial soaking times to see what works best at 70 degrees here.