Feeding Fodder
September 27, 2015
What is fodder:
Coarse food for livestock, composed of entire plants, including leaves, stalks, and grain, of such
forages as corn and sorghum.
Why feed fodder:
Cost: Typically, you will find significant savings in feed costs. The feeding cost savings varies from 10 to up to
50%.
Barley: Green Mountain Organics (Poulin) I pay $25/50lb bag, Countryside Organics I believe is $35/bag. I feed
my goats and chickens currently. My chicken feed cost is about ½ of what is used to be.
The area of the country you/we live in largely dictates how pricey the seed will be. Most of the barley we can
get comes from the Midwest. I did find a supplier of organic barley in Maine where, if I bought in bulk, could get the
price to about $19/bag.
Nutrition:
Hydroponic Sprouts are rich in vitamins, minerals, and proteins but, the most valuable factor is the enzymes
which improve, by far, digestibility allowing the animal’s stomach to utilize the rest of the feed much more efficiently.
The overall health of the animals improves a lot and this is the main reason for such an investment. Better rate of
conception, better pregnancies, easier births, less medicine and vaccines.
The benefits of SPROUTS:
According to the highly respected naturopath and herbalist Isabell Shipard (Shipard, 2005)
“Sprouts are a tremendous source of (plant) digestive enzymes. Enzymes act as
biological catalysts needed for the complete digestion of protein, carbohydrates & fats.
The physiology of vitamins, minerals and trace elements is also dependent on enzyme
activity.”
“Being eaten whilst extremely young, “alive” and rapidly developing, sprouts have been acclaimed as the “most enzymerich food on the planet”. Estimates suggest there can be up to 100 times more enzymes in sprouts than in fruit and
vegetables, depending on the particular type of enzyme and the variety of seed being sprouted. The period of greatest
enzyme activity in sprouts is generally between germination and 7 days of age.”
“Grains and legume seeds of all plants contain abundant enzymes. However, while grains and seeds are dry, enzymes
are largely inactive, due to enzyme inhibitors, until given moisture to activate germination. It is these inhibitors that
enable many seeds to last for years in soil without deteriorating, whilst waiting for moisture. Enzyme inhibitors in some
grains and legume seeds (for example Trypsin inhibitors in raw soybeans and certain other beans and peas) need to be
inactivated by heating or other processes before they can be safely fed. However, heating, cooking and grinding
processes can also inactivate certain digestive enzymes within grains and sees. Fortunately, during germination and
sprouting of grains and seeds, many enzyme inhibitors are effectively neutralized, whilst at the same time the activity of
beneficial plant digestive enzymes is greatly enhanced.”
Crude protein contents of seed and 4, 6 and 8-day old barley grass mats
Crude protein (% DM) Original seed 10.1%
4 day old 10.8%
6 day old 13.7%
8 day old 14.9 %
Source: Morgan et al. (1992). “Limiting factors in hydroponic barley grass production.” 8th International Congress on
Soilless Culture, Hunter’s Rest, South Africa.
Crude Protein and Crude Fibre changes in Barley Sprouted over a 7-day period
Crude Protein
Crude Fibre
(% of DM)
(% of DM)
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%
Source: Cuddeford (1989), based on data obtained by Peer and Leeson (1985).
Vitamin analysis based on single 6-day grass samples (mg/kg DM)
Barley
GRAIN Barley
GRASS
Vitamin-E
7.4
62.4
Beta-Carotene 4.1
42.7
Biotin
0.16
1.15
Free Folic Acid 0.12
1.05
Source: Cuddeford (1989). “Hydroponic grass.” In Practice 11(5):211-214
Mineral Uptake (chelation) Shipard, I. (2005). “How Can I Grow and Use Sprouts as Living Food?” Stewart Publishing:
claims that –“When seeds are sprouted, minerals chelate or merge with protein in a way that increases their function.”
Storage:
Whole seed stores better than processed grain. If you are able to buy and store in bulk it will store up to 2 years
where processed grains will be no more than 1 year, typically
What to grow:
Barley #1, Wheat, Oats – Most popular in NE
Black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS): Black oil sunflower seeds contain vitamin E, zinc, iron, and selenium
and also add fiber and fat to the diet. BOSS makes the goats' coats shinier and supposedly increases the
butterfat in their milk. Not too much. My mix is <1:5 BOSS to barley.
Corn, sorghum, you can really try anything. Of course the nutrition profile will change with different
seeds so, some research on that would be wise if wanting to experiment with your own mix.
1) Rabbits: Wheat, barley, BOSS, radish, millet, lentil
2) Pigs: 50% Barley, 30% Rye, 20% yellow/winter peas
3) Chickens: Barley, BOSS, Wheat, Oats,
4) Cows:
5) Horses:
6) Goats: Barley, Wheat, Oats, BOSS, Cow Peas, Millet, Sunflower, Oats, Corn.
7) Alpacas: Barley, Wheat, Oats
8) Sheep: Barley, Wheat, Oats, Annual Rye, BOSS
How to grow:
Seed: Always start with good seed, preferably organic. Some suppliers will differentiate between “grain/feed”
seed and “sprouting” seed. I still have yet to discern exactly what the difference is but, “sprouting” seed seems to have
a higher sprout rate: 95%-97% where “feed” seed, for some reason, seems to not be quite as high.
Soaking: This is where the dormant seed turns into a germinating plant. You should see the beginnings of a root
after 24 hr. soak. Most fodder growers will completely cover their seeds for 24 hours prior to transferring to seed trays.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yp7oDCWybGE
**This video from Half-Pint Homestead shows comparison between soaking for 24 hours vs. 30 minutes. After
watching this video I started soaking my seeds for 30 minutes and had much better success than with the 24 hour soak.
I’ve also read that large scale producers who completely soak their seeds for 24 hours use an air bubbler to
circulate the water as this has shown to increase germination rates. The air is important in the germination process.
Growing Trays: Use whatever works for your situation. I use typical seed starting 1020 trays.
Rinsing/Watering: Ideally, use fresh water vs. re-circulated water. How often you water will depend on your
individual circumstance. The flood and drain system is most widely used. Water well enough to cover or completely
wet all the seed. Let it drain. For me, I do this twice a day. Some people find watering 3x/day works for them during
particularly dry times of the year. More often than not, for me, if my seeds seem to be drying out during the day I might
mist them with a spray bottle as the seed underneath is still sufficiently wet. Sufficient drainage is important, too.
Keeping the seed too wet could lead to mold issues.
I’ve seen some people who are able to set up their systems in an unused bathroom and are fully able to automate their
whole process with timers, etc. 
Rinsing/Watering(cont.):
Recommended Water Temperature: 60 - 75 degrees
pH Level: 6.2 - 6.4
Humidity: 40% - 80% Ideal is 60%
Ideal Ambient Temperature range: 63 - 75 degrees (cooler is better)
Lighting: Do you need grow lights? Most likely not. Ambient light is typically sufficient. In New England, unless
you are using a closed fodder system, added lighting might be necessary during the winter months.
Potential problems:
Mold: I will occasionally see the white “hairy” mold on parts of my seed. I don’t worry about that too much.
However, significant black mold and others may be an issue.
Check to make sure you have good ventilation.
Is the temperature of the grow space too hot? Is there enough air circulation? Maybe add a small fan.
Disinfectants: Bleach / ACV are commonly used in the soak water to help prevent mold issues. I will use ACV.
My sprouts aren’t green, is that a problem? No, Chlorophyll is not part of the sprouting process until about day
4. Sprouts contain nutrients from the time the seed coat bursts open. While the green is nutritious, the photosynthesis
creates complex carbohydrates (Starches) after day 8 which the plant puts into more growth. This is the time when you
begin to lose the nutrition of the fodder system. This is not to say that the 9 day growing plant does not have nutrition, it
does, just different, more complex molecules.
How much to feed:
• Horse: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; 1.5% body weight in dry hay
• Beef Cow: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; barley straw ration
• Dairy Cow: 3-5 percent of their body weight in fodder; barley straw ration
• Sheep: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; hay ration
• Goat: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; mineral and hay rations
• Dairy Goat: 3-5 percent of their body weight in fodder; mineral and hay rations
• Alpaca: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; hay ration
• Pig: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder
• Rabbit: 3-5 percent of their body weight in fodder; hay ration for roughage
• Chicken: 2-3 percent of their body weight in fodder; grit and calcium supplements
Source: http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/sprouted-fodder.aspx
Resources:
Facebook:
Barley Sprouts Fodder Support (closed group you will have to join)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/249932255174313/
Fodder (closed group you will have to join)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/316422451737424/ ** My favorite
Sprouted Barley Fodder (public group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sproutedbarleyfodder/
Internet: TONS of information
Paca Pride: Good tutorials from an alpaca farmer
https://pacapride.wordpress.com/2012/11/27/barley-fodder-from-trials-to-production/
www.half-pinthomestead.com
Fodder Systems: Even if you are not using one of their systems their websites have some good info.
Fodder Solutions
http://www.foddersolutions.org/
Fodder Works
http://www.fodderworks.net