Fodder Systems for Feeding Livestock

[Dunappy]

Has anyone tried a fodder system (Sprouted wheat, barley or oats) to feed their livestock? I"m interested in trying a system that will eventually be able to grow around 200 lbs of sprouted grains per day. The current commercial systems are pretty pricy so I'm looking for information and plans for how to build my own.

[Jason Akers]

I've got about an acre total planted in winter wheat.  I was thinking about trying to sprout some.  Joel Salatin explained a ferris wheel sprouter he has in his head.  I think I can build one and make it fairly automated but it won't be a ferris wheel!

Jason

[Nes]

I have yet to meet anyone who has one of these and uses it regularly because of the labour involved. I have heard of them being used at the race-tracks to feed the horses but hay is just a whole lot easier.

If you need 200lbs of sprouted grains a day the commercially done system is probably the best way to go.

If you need maybe 2lbs you can do it in a bucket really easily.

GL - I'd be very interested to hear what you come up with!

[Dunappy]

Hay might be "easier", but it's Way more expensive. As for the labor, it really isn't at much as you think. I've started a mini sprouter here in the house all I do is soak the seeds for a day and then rinse them every day. I also work a full time job and do other things around the house. My mini sprouter has only cost me about 15 minutes out of my day and I've already been able to feed my chickens several days in a row with sprouted grains.

[Jim]

Just curious, how much sprouted seed per bird per day are you feeding would you estimate?

[Nes]

Hay might be "easier", but it's Way more expensive. As for the labor, it really isn't at much as you think.

Depends on where you're getting your hay from. It still costs almost nothing to grow & harvest, but when you can put corn or soy on the same land and get a much higher return, those of us who raise horses have to fight with that more then the actual cost of the hay. Again, depends on where you live & where you're getting it from.

What I have heard from people considering the commercial systems from the horse side, is it's a neat trick but why would you put so much labour and money into it when you could just purchase better quality hay and not bother? But that's a for a big stable of horses, eating a whole lot of fodder, and needing an big system (similar to the 200lbs dunappy is talking about).

Do you have pictures/description of the system you're using for small scale? I was looking at someone's the other day they were using a bucket with holes in the bottom, nesting it in another bucket then just pick up to rinse & serve.

It's definitely something I've been interested in for the chickens.

[Dunappy]

my hay has to be "imported" from another state at a cost of around $20.00 per 3 wire bale. Believe me Fodder would be far easier in my situation. As a 15 lbs of seed will produce around 100 lbs of fodder.

[Nes]

How many lbs is a 3 wire bale?

[Dunappy]

Around 100 lbs or less. Basically I feed one full bale per day for a cost of $20.00 up to $25.00 per day for the horses only.  That comes out to between .20 to 25 cents per lb and sometimes higher if the bales weigh less. Additionally I got some bales that were really heavy, but hidden inside were major clods of dirt. I lost at least 1/4 of the weight due to the farmer bailing the dirt into the bales.

However a 50 lb bag of seed costing between $12-17 (depending on the seed) produces a little over 300 lbs of fodder. That results in a cost of around .11 per lb. Taking into consideration that both hay and fodder have labor included. Hay I have to haul and stack, Fodder I have to soak, rinse and monitor.
The labor costs would be similar though I believe it may be higher with the hay due to the large amounts I have to move.

I don't think you understand, I'm buying the best hay available. We have one local hay farmer and his hay isn't the quality I'd normally buy. I tried it once and the horses all actually lost weight. I had to feed more of both hay and grains in order to keep weight on the horses. There just isn't local hay available it's all hauled into the area.

[Nes]

No I understand, especially if you're in the southern united states I don't doubt that's the best hay you can buy. For 100# bales yes that is a lot, we pay $20 for 500#.
(I just wasn't sure how large a 3 wire is - here that would be a long or large square bale)

I'm not trying to dissuade your new adventure, what I've heard from other horse people is that it's more effort then it's worth. If you're in a drought-prone/desert region that's going to be a little different from someone in Kentucky...
(I'm in Ontario, Canada btw)

Similarly here I'd have to use a heated greenhouse & lights to keep the fodder going in the winter, which would greatly add to the cost.

Here is some more info from horse specific sites:
http://chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=327377&highlight=fodder+system
http://chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=336083&highlight=fodder+system