Fodder sprouting systems, anyone?

[tm_bunnyloft]

Are they doing well in the grow lab at school?

It would be great if they would loan you one.

 

[skysthelimit]

Not sure yet. But they have roots.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

The 6 hour soaked grain is showing signs of sprouting. The 12 hour soaked grain is not. They were started at the same time yesterday. It looks like 6 hours is a good amount of time for me here. The ones that were soaked 24 hours have roots but no sprouts so I fed them to the pig today. He didn't seem to mind that they were slow growers. I have another batch to feed him tomorrow and that will be it for the oats. This new stuff is barley which seems to be doing better for me as well.

I'm thinking about getting some pasture seed mix to grow into fodder as well. Something with clover and alfalfa in it and a variety of grasses. Yummy for the bunnies!!!! Or maybe some trefoil. They would probably like a bit of that as well. Mixed with the barley of course.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I am trying to figure out how to ask to borrow a grow light to take home.

Why not just make the growing of fodder part of the curriculum? It could be a year long project to see if artificial conditions have identical outcomes despite the changing seasons. You could also incorporate different soaking times into the experiment and any other variables you can think of.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Thats actually a great idea as long as they let Sky take the fodder home.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I don't see why they wouldn't, especially if she is providing the seed.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

was at TSC today and thought about gettin oats but was $15.99 and $18.99(rolled) per bag! x.x

 

[skysthelimit]

I am trying to figure out how to ask to borrow a grow light to take home.

Why not just make the growing of fodder part of the curriculum? It could be a year long project to see if artificial conditions have identical outcomes despite the changing seasons. You could also incorporate different soaking times into the experiment and any other variables you can think of.

Cool idea, but not for second graders. I only have less than 40 minutes a day for science.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

When buying oats to sprout they can not be heat treated, crimped or rolled. They must be whole unprocessed oats. The oats I bought at TSC wouldn't hardly sprout.

 

[skysthelimit]

I wonder where my neighborhood store gets there oats? It's the only other place besides TSC.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

I would go in and ask them. A lawn and garden store allot of times will get rye and wheat in this time of year for dear feed plots. And then in the spring you could get grasses and clover. But probably not from a chain. More like a mom and pop type place.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

A lawn and garden store allot of times will get rye and wheat in this time of year for dear feed plots.

Our TSC has deer forage seed in right now.

 

[skysthelimit]

I would go in and ask them. A lawn and garden store allot of times will get rye and wheat in this time of year for dear feed plots. And then in the spring you could get grasses and clover. But probably not from a chain. More like a mom and pop type place.

TSC has deer forage seed for $40 a bag. Remember that this is a mom and pop pet store in the inner city of Cleveland. There are no deer wandering around the hood, and if there were, they'd get shot, not fed. The only lawn seed stores are HomeDepot, Lowes and Gales, which is still a chain store. Gales carries the typical treated grass seeds.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Once I get moved I'm just gonna have to take a road trip and bring you some grain and feed. We'll beat the city yet!!!!! <br /><br />__________ Wed Nov 14, 2012 3:40 pm __________<br /><br />Update on soaking times....

The 6 hour soak has 1 inch roots and is starting to get sprouts. The 12 hour soak is just starting to get roots. The grains are both started 24 hours ago now. I count from when they go in the pan after the soak time. I also soaked some seeds for 3 hours and they are at 12 hours in the pan now and are just as far as the 12 hour soaked ones.
So 12 hours of soaking barley is to long. Now to see how the 3 hour compares to the 6 hour grains.

I think that now its time to get some better pans that are easier to control watering in. Since I now have a good grasp on the soaking times. I'm going to make a frame out of PVC that the smaller cement mixing tubs will fit on. I will drill a few tiny holes to start with and add more until I get the right amount of soak time when I fill them to the top of the grain with water. I am going to make it to hold 9 trays. Then I am going to put a large xmas tree storage tote underneath to catch the water. Then I just need a water can to dip water from the tote. Water the top trays and as the water drains from that it will water the next down and so on..... I will just have to water twice a day.
Eventually I will add an automatic watering system with a pump and timer but for now this will work just fine.

I am having more fun with figuring this system out and getting it to work for me than I expected. I sure hope my bunnies like the end product.

 

[Amy]

I'm going to try again using the 6 hr. soak time. I didn't time it last time, but it was probably closer to 12 hrs., didn't work.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Mine are sprouting but growing very slow. I think that when I water the trays the water is draining to fast now. So they are drying out to much every day. Im going to have to start over when we get back from our trip this weekend.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I think that when I water the trays the water is draining to fast now.

Could you carefully remove the seeds and line the pans with paper towels to slow the water flow?

 

[skysthelimit]

I was wondering the same thing. In the grow lab, they now have leaves, but the exposed roots are drying out.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

So all of the mediums I come up with are no good to help with moisture.

__________ Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:24 pm __________

They are either toxic or not reusable.
I don't want to use anything unsafe for my bunnies. So IDK<br /><br />__________ Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:30 pm __________<br /><br />Im buying these....


http://sproutpeople.org/supply/sprouters/tray.html

 

[owlsfriend]

just more info....


http://www.foddertech.com/about-us/sprouting
Feeding sprouts to rabbits offers very dramatic advantages including:

Faster weight gain
Higher fertility
Ween from mothers faster
Reduced scours when weening
Higher fertility
Results: A rabbit farmer in Australia was paying $760 for three weeks worth of feed for 50 Does and 60 - 70 young ones. With Fodder he spends $760 every three weeks, however he is feeding 90 Does and around 250 young ones. The Does have never been so fertile. Litter averages are up to 10 - 12 with some litters as high as 15 rabbits!

Read an article about a FodderTech user's experience feeding Rabbits from the magazine Practical Hydroponics:

http://www.zinio.com/pages/PracticalHyd ... mber-Oct...

http://www.zinio.com/pages/PracticalHyd ... mber-Oct...<br /><br />__________ Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:36 am __________<br /><br />I contacted sprout-people and they told me their mats were made of Jute....don't know if the mats would bind rabbit innards, but I suspect that the roots will be embedded in the jute fibers. They don't recomend re-using--could be a cleanliness issue (mold prevention) or a way to keep you buying their product.
__________ Thu Nov 15, 2012 7:30 pm __________

Im buying these....


http://sproutpeople.org/supply/sprouters/tray.html[/quote]