Sprouting organic fodder for rabbits

[silver0202]

I posted a youtube video on sprouting... healthier feed at less than half the cost of commercial feed.

To see the video follow the link at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2haxOZNua7I&feature=c4-overview&list=UUWeKOluQhkeTHkqV5rN_avQ

Feeding sprouted grain is a very economical method of supplying green feed to all classes of poultry and rabbits. Fodder, as green feeds are also called, supply nutrients that are easier to absorb for your animals. Dried grains ready for sprouting are convenient to buy and store.

The feed value of the grains change when sprouting happens. When grain begins to sprout and grow there is an increase in vitamin and protein percentage wise. The reason for this is the starch is used to support the new sprout. A grains seed contains complex compounds which are difficult to digest. When they are sprouted they become a more simple compound, which makes them more readily available.

s.<br /><br />__________ Fri Oct 18, 2013 2:43 pm __________<br /><br />

 

[HANSON301]

What is the best fodder for rabbits?
Corn, oats, wheat or barley?

 

[MaggieJ]

Not corn, Hanson301. Wheat, oats and barley are all very good, with wheat generally being the easiest to work with.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

What's wrong with corn?

Is BOSS ok?

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Thanks, been thinking of sprouting some fodder for my goats and pigs for the winter.

 

[Frecs]

What's wrong with corn?

Is BOSS ok?

What is wrong with corn:

1. Corn is GMO.
2. Corn kernels are indigestible for most mammals including rabbits.
3. While corn stalks, silks, and cobs are edible for rabbits, I'm not sure how easy it is to actually sprout corn as a fodder.

As for BOSS:

Absolutely sprout it! Serve either as sprouts or grow to the greens stage! In fact, if you sprout BOSS separate from the other grains, grow enough for both humans and rabbits. Sunflower greens are DELICIOUS!!

 

[HANSON301]

How much fodder is needed to replace pellets?
Do i just give them a 1/4 cup of fodder and then reduce pellets that much?

 

[Frecs]

3-5% of body weight seems to be the standard starting point...then adjust according to how the rabbits' conditions are (if they start losing weight, give more....)

From talking to folks in several groups, the standard for a 10pound rabbit appears to be about 8 ounces of fodder PLUS lots of forage and some hay.

 

[MaggieJ]

3-5% of body weight seems to be the standard starting point...then adjust according to how the rabbits' conditions are (if they start losing weight, give more....)

From talking to folks in several groups, the standard for a 10pound rabbit appears to be about 8 ounces of fodder PLUS lots of forage and some hay.

Eight ounces of fodder plus lots of forage and hay sounds very high to me for a ten pound rabbit. Would a rabbit really eat that much?

Late last winter, I experimented with serving fodder to replace the straight grain and small amounts of fresh food I give them in winter. They have free choice alfalfa hay at all times. Maybe they just didn't like the fodder so much, because there was often some left and I certainly was not feeding anywhere near half a pound per rabbit.

 

[Frecs]

3-5% of body weight seems to be the standard starting point...then adjust according to how the rabbits' conditions are (if they start losing weight, give more....)

From talking to folks in several groups, the standard for a 10pound rabbit appears to be about 8 ounces of fodder PLUS lots of forage and some hay.

Eight ounces of fodder plus lots of forage and hay sounds very high to me for a ten pound rabbit. Would a rabbit really eat that much?

Late last winter, I experimented with serving fodder to replace the straight grain and small amounts of fresh food I give them in winter. They have free choice alfalfa hay at all times. Maybe they just didn't like the fodder so much, because there was often some left and I certainly was not feeding anywhere near half a pound per rabbit.

Perhaps it was that yours were getting free choice alfalfa hay and the folks I am referencing use grass hay. Perhaps because yours was getting most of their protein needs from the alfalfa, they didn't need as much fodder? Not sure. I can manage to get my wheat to wheatgrass stage and so feed 3-4 day sprouts so I can't really say how much fodder mine would eat if they had it.

And, I am terribly un-scientific with my own feeding regime...I don't actually weight out the feed portions...I mix the pellets and sprouts and serve heaping cups full...nursing moms get 2 heaping cups full twice daily unless they aren't eating all of the previous serving. Plus hay and treats at least every other day.

 

[MaggieJ]

Perhaps it was that yours were getting free choice alfalfa hay and the folks I am referencing use grass hay.

That is quite possibly the reason. I tend to assume that most people not feeding pellets do feed alfalfa hay... and it is not always so. Because I use fodder as a winter replacement for fresh forage, I sometimes forget how high in protein it is.

It would be great if you could weigh the fodder you feed to your buns, Frecs... That would provide a bit of a guide for others.

 

[Frecs]

It would be great if you could weigh the fodder you feed to your buns, Frecs... That would provide a bit of a guide for others.

Well, I do have a nice scale now that I got to start weighing the kits to monitor their growth...so I'll take the time to weigh out portions.

It probably would be good to weigh both pellets and sprouts separately so we can get an idea of how much of each they are getting.

I really do need to break my dependence on those pellets...not sure why I keep buying the stupid things.....

 

[HANSON301]

i was wondering if anyone was able to put a regiment together on the foder / pellet rations?

 

[JessiL]

I am in the middle of a fodder versus pellets trial with my current batch of grow-outs. I'll post about it soon in the Feeding forum. But as a preview, I'm finding that my rapidly growing Americans are needing a lot more than 5 or 6% of their body weight plus alfalfa plus sunflower seed each day. Still cheaper than pellets, maybe. They are just getting to their period of fast weight gain, so we will see. This trial won't be as clean as I'd like, because people are excited about homesteading and keep buying up my rabbits in the middle of the experiment, but hopefully enough will make it to butchering weight to make it worthwhile.