Fodder sprouting systems, anyone?

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I didn't really figure this would derail the thread any as it pertains to it.

MSD was kind enough to post a study done for dry vs wet feed.
MamaSheepdog":10tpfzx5 said:
mystang89":10tpfzx5 said:
MamaSheepdog":10tpfzx5 said:
1. Why do some people dry grass before giving it to their rabbits? Doesn't it loose some of it's nutrional value?

I believe it is to provide more dry fiber to the diet. The nutrients are also more concentrated because there is little water content.

What do you mean by "more concentrated because there is little water content"?

http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/epublic/live/g2 ... /g2093.pdf

So if I'm reading this correctly, it would be more nutritious if I let the fodder dry out a bit once it gets so tall instead of letting it continue to grow? What I mean is that if I let the fodder get to day 7 and don't need it I will normally leave it there and water it until I do need it which could be day 8 or more. If I take it off the shelf and let it dry out the it seems the nutrients will stay the same just become more concentrated......right?
 
Here's my Micro system in full production. It will feed 4 adult meat rabbits per day and is fully automated You can see more info a http://www.half-pinthomestead.com/MicroKit.

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To answer the question above about drying Fodder: Yes some nutrients will be concentrated by weight in the dried product, but some will also be lost. Also, you must remember that the animals have to rehydrate whatever they eat before it can be digested from their own body moisture which requires energy. In my opinion, drying the Fodder defeats the whole purpose of growing it in the first place.

In my experience, Fodder only keeps 24 hours or so if not watered. After this time period, it starts to deteriorate and mold quickly. After about day 6 it starts to lose nutrients no matter what you do with it. It isn't really good for storage.

Sherry
 
Wow, nice looking fodder. I tried to look on your website but couldn't find the answers so I will ask them here.

How often do you water?
How much do you water?
How much seed do you put in each tray?
 
Toady":3tmb12e5 said:
My fodder system has turned out to be a big fat failure, despite several attempts the grain goes funny after a few days.

Have you tried rinsing/soaking in a bleach or peroxide solution?
 
Whipple":3tkwxpeq said:
Have you tried rinsing/soaking in a bleach or peroxide solution?

I haven't soaked it in bleach and it's not mould that's on it, I get white bits that will float on top of the water and get a real funky smell... I'm wondering if it's fermented.

I also did a small experiment to see if the original oats I got were a bit old or not, turns out they were as the newer stuff is sprouting with no worries, I just used a 'chux' cloth and put the seeds on top which allows me to get them up out of the water. Got a nice 'crop' of 2 inch tall orchard grass doing the same thing too!
 
Toady":1lzex6ds said:
Whipple":1lzex6ds said:
Have you tried rinsing/soaking in a bleach or peroxide solution?

I haven't soaked it in bleach and it's not mould that's on it, I get white bits that will float on top of the water and get a real funky smell... I'm wondering if it's fermented.

I also did a small experiment to see if the original oats I got were a bit old or not, turns out they were as the newer stuff is sprouting with no worries, I just used a 'chux' cloth and put the seeds on top which allows me to get them up out of the water. Got a nice 'crop' of 2 inch tall orchard grass doing the same thing too!

It took me a while to get my system down too. I'm not sure what white bits start floating to the top but I do know that, at least with Wheat, the root system gets small white hairs on them. That is normal. When they clump up it almost looks like mold growing. I know you said you didn't have a problem with mold but I thought that maybe the white stuff that was floating up could be the root hairs breaking off. :shrug:

I still get 2 types of smells. One is a "green" smell. It just smells like I'm growing something inside a building that doesn't have windows open. Nothing too bad that I can't live with. The other smell is a nasty smell. I get that smell when I need to change the water in the reservoir. After a couple days rinses the water starts to take on a brownish tent to it and I need to change it. The smell goes away immediately after that.

I have no experience with oats myself, but everyone I talk to says that oats are very hard to grow as fodder so don't be hard on yourself for not getting the results you wanted with them.
 
Just some more info on my set-up. This is a re-purposed piece of restaurant equipment I picked up at a auction cheap---only had to modify the pans some, turned the rack upside down so it would not roll off the blocks it is sitting on. Added a timer and pump. Its making fodder!

This is a picture when I first got it started.
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I got it setup in a camper I am not using.

Adding the other picture so they are on the same post.

Fodder2003_zpsda3d058b.jpg
 
hmmm I've done a bit since I last checked in here. I have been growing a full nursery tray to feed each day. Using 1.5lbs of wheat and getting over 8.5lbs of fodder withholding water in the last 12 or more hours before weighing.

I am using it only on a few rabbits since my production is limited to my kitchen size..and it's not very big! I have them on both sides of my sink and on my stove draining into a bucket on top of the garbage can! I have trays double stacked using a small wooden stick. I have seeds in drain buckets up to 3 days waiting for it's turn in a tray! I am hand watering 3-4 times a day, aiming for the 4 each day.

My plans are going to take me into getting a free rv/motor home from a friend who does rv repairs. He only wants the tires and the water tank in it. Fine by me! Free is always a good price in my book. I will gut most/all of the remaining insides to set up my system. I have bought pvc pond liner to cover plywood. The channels will be 12" wide x the 8' foot length of the plywood. I will only go 2 channels deep and hope to be able to access from both sides so I can do 4 channels. I will have this 3 high so hopefully 12 channels all together. Or only 2 high and 8. I may be able to get 2 of these in there so 16-24 channels in production. I have a large number of rabbits and a bunch of chickens I want to feed. Depending on how much I can produce will determine how much goes to the rabbits and who will get it. First will be does with litters. Looking at only replacing part of the feed consumed, not all.

I have also been playing with the BOSS sprouting it. It seems to be a bit more tempermental for me. I try to water it and then put another tray with something IN that tray until it is done draining. That seem to help, otherwise I get a lot of roots that seem to be drying out. The sprout a bit slower, but I'm sprouting them about 5 days. Nice treat for the rabbits and easy to feed as I can just drop it in the J feeders. Most gobble it up.
 
So I spent an entire evening reading this thread, has anybody been successfully feeding nothing but sprouts and hay? What kind of gains are you seeing? Any problems?
 
Big Tom":3jerhp57 said:
So I spent an entire evening reading this thread, has anybody been successfully feeding nothing but sprouts and hay? What kind of gains are you seeing? Any problems?

i'd be very interested to hear more from anyone who feeds like this as well.

i just got my grains in from the feedstore to start feeding out my own mixed grains. but i'm going to be trying sprouting some wheat to see how it does. as i know the oats didnt do that good growing at all.
 
ohiogoatgirl":1uolghuy said:
Big Tom":1uolghuy said:
So I spent an entire evening reading this thread, has anybody been successfully feeding nothing but sprouts and hay? What kind of gains are you seeing? Any problems?

i'd be very interested to hear more from anyone who feeds like this as well.

i just got my grains in from the feedstore to start feeding out my own mixed grains. but i'm going to be trying sprouting some wheat to see how it does. as i know the oats didnt do that good growing at all.
Big Tom":1uolghuy said:
So I spent an entire evening reading this thread, has anybody been successfully feeding nothing but sprouts and hay? What kind of gains are you seeing? Any problems?

That's all mine are on. I grow winter wheat and feed them timothy/clover hay. I used to have problems with mold but once I got used to cleaning the trays every time they emptied and rinsing the reservoir of water ever so often there's not a problem. I'll be adding another shelf for one more flat of wheat just so I know I have enough for all the rabbits.
 
I am breaking my rabbits in on only fodder and hay, we are on week 6 for some and week 4 for others. Momma had 10 babies, 9 made it. They are starting to nibble on the fodder. I have offered them pellets as well and hay. Rabbits currently eating fodder, meadow grass hay, timothy hay, and weaning off the pellets. I have two gals that refuse to eat fodder, but the rest could care less about the pellets! YEAH! I'm thinking as these two gals mature this may change. If not, we'll be breeding out that gene! ;)<br /><br />__________ Sun Apr 28, 2013 8:47 pm __________<br /><br />Got Mold? Fodder turning ugly? Get a fan! Keep your humidity down in the room in which your are sprouting. If you have to choose between air circulation and light, pick air circulation! Also, where do you live??? Has it been a bit warm? I'm in California, it gets a little warm here.

I have a cooler area in my laundry room, but the humidity is up in that room when the laundry is running. I've put a moratorium on using the dryer during the day! The men have agreed to hang their clothing outside, YEAH! The dryer adds a bunch of humidity in the little room and I don't have a venting fan to the outside. I open the door, run a small fan during the day, and if I forget it runs all night too. When my fodder bucket is full (where trays drain into), I empty it or take it out of the room, it just raises the humidity. I'll take a picture for you so you can see my dysfunctional room and setup (I just started about 6 weeks ago). I'm not quite automated yet and you will see that. DO NOT buy the trays that you see in the photo (leach trays from hydroponic store) they are long and narrow, they are a waste of money due to narrow size and not flat inside.

I am trying to find flat trays that are 12"x41" in size (the hydroponic store is ordering them for me). Here's the list of rules I've discovered to keep mold out!

1. Run a fan for air circulation!!!
2. Use opaque, dark or black containers to sprout in, also cover them with a light weight towel for extra darkness if needed.
3. Rinse 2x a day.
4. DO NOT over crowd your seeds! This also provides a breeding ground for mold. I typically use 3 cups of dry grain for the 10 x 20" trays. Some people like 5 cups, but if you are getting mold, try reducing seeds in addition to the other suggestions.
5. Keep containers in darkness, and you don't want the heat of the fridge this time of year, the seeds will go on their own. Keep temperature between 65 and 75 and grain will be happiest.
6. As to the use of bleach, I too have tried it in the soak cycle. I use a 10% solution in a spray bottle. I give it a 5 squirts for 3 cups of seed to the rinse water. I do not want to use it at all! My mom told me about something using grapefruit seed oil, here's the recipe. I don't know if this will work, but it is way more earth and septic tank friendly. I'm going to try it.
7. Clean the trays with bleach after every seed grow or use. Get a little scrub brush and work it over.


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So I also use Folgers plastic cans. They are my favorite but we don't drink enough coffee and I need more containers. Not much light through these bad boys! I add drain holes on top and on bottom. I used my solder gun. You can also melt with a candle and a wire, nail or wire clothes hanger. I take 3 cups of dry grain per batch, some people recommend 5 cups, but you have less grain you have less mold by not over crowding the seeds. The grains can stay in these for 3 days if not 4. I stick my hand in, mix things around under running water, rinsing 2x per day. The oats take a bit longer to get going; are @ 2-3 days behind the wheat or barley (barley is fastest).

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Since I only have 2 Folger's cans I had to buy some trays yesterday. They are kitty litter trays, small for $2.00 at WalMart. Here's the thing, you can probably get these at the Dollar store, so look for them. My dollar store has NOTHING except clear plastic right now. These trays are made by Sterlite (sp?). They are lopsided, which I thought might help me. I melted holes on one side. I do cover them, although not much light gets through these.

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These trays are stacked about 3 high in the ready to go phase (seeds are sprouted in Folgers can and placed in black trays to finish by day 2 or 3 after tails have formed). Not quite ready but almost. You can see the progression (the bottom one is the oats and their tails are just peaking out). Oat tray on bottom is youngest (really behind the others - YIKES). Each tray covers the other, applies a little weight and voila! This was also my first week of sprouting oats. The one tray on top (see photo above) heads to the light tomorrow. I leave the light on about 12 hours but I wonder if I could do less? I don't have a window as this part of the house is underground.

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I used tuna cans to provide enough lift for water, but I like the idea of using PVC which will reduce run-off time and give seeds opportunity to absorb. These are called leach trays, but the inside is a disaster for fodder use! Look at the size of the ridge!!! I can only use 2" on either side!!! ARGH! Leach trays below are 6" wide and I would like 12 at least! I'm working on that.

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Get the bleach bottle from dollar store that has the marks on it for the 10 parts water to 1 part bleach. This works great for planting containers as well. I clean my trays between each use and if the bottom of my tray gets a little slick, I give them a little squirt, rinse and place my growing tray batch on top.

Enjoy!
 
Wormrun, I know you've only been feeding fodder for 6 weeks, but have you noticed a difference in weight gains in your kits compared to pellets? How is over all herd health?
 

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