Hydroponic fodder

Is it a viable option for feeding sheep, goats and other

livestock?
Although the methods of hydroponic fodder production
date back to the 1930's, there is renewed interest in
hydroponic fodder as a feedstuff for sheep, goats, and
other livestock.
ydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil.
!nly moisture and nutrients are provided to the growing
plants. "here are many advantages to hydroponics.
ydroponic growing systems produce a greater yield over
a shorter period of time in a smaller area than
traditionally#grown crops.
"here is a reduction or e$clusion of pesticides and
herbicides because the plants are in a more protected growing environment. ydroponics is a
year#round growing system that produces a consistent %uantity and %uality of plant material,
regardless of outside weather.
&odder 'livestock feed( can be grown hydroponically much the same as vegetables, flowers, and
other plants. ydroponic fodder systems are usually used to sprout cereal grains, such as barley,
oats, wheat, sorghum, and corn, or legumes, such as alfalfa, clover, or cow peas. )arley is the
most commonly grown forage, because it usually gives the best yield of nutrients '*(. &orage
mi$tures are another option.
A hydroponic fodder system usually consists of a framework of shelves on which metal or plastic
trays are stacked. After soaking overnight, a layer of seeds is spread over the base of the trays.
+uring the growing period, the seeds are kept moist, but not saturated. "hey are supplied with
moisture and 'sometimes( nutrients, usually via drip or spray irrigation. oles in the trays
facilitate drainage and the waste water is collected in a tank.
"he seeds will usually sprout within ,* hours and in - to . days have produced a / to . inch high
grass mat. After the mat is removed from the tray, it can go into a feed mi$er or be hand#fed to
livestock. 0ivestock will eat the whole thing1 seeds, roots, and grass. "here is minimal waste.
0ivestock may not eat the fodder initially because it is novel, but should soon learn to eat it with
relish.
Year-round production
Hydroponic fodder systems make very efcient use of water and land.
2hile it is possible to grow hydroponic fodder in any building, including a garage or basement, a
greenhouse is ideal because temperature, light, and humidity can be precisely controlled.
3fficient, year#round production of green fodder is not possible unless environmental conditions
are optimal1 appro$imately 405&, /0 percent humidity, and 1/ hours of light. &or this reason,
hydroponic growing systems usually re%uire significant investment.
ydroponic fodder systems come in a range of si6es and capacities. 0arge fodder sheds may
produce several tons of fodder per day, whereas a mini#fodder system may produce only 10 lbs.
per day. 7t is possible to build your own system, or a 8turn#key8 system can be purchased from a
commercial company. 7nvestments range from a few hundred dollars to si$ figures.
s feed for livestock
&odder sprouts are tender and young, the e%uivalent of fresh green grass. As such, they are
highly palatable and nutritious to all types and classes of livestock. !n a dry matter basis,
hydroponic fodder compares favorably with other nutritious feedstuffs.
!omparative nutrition of di"erent feedstu"s #$%&
'eedstu" ( !)
*
( +$,
*
mcal-kg
%.
*
,.m
*
,.g
*
,.l
*
Alfalfa Hay 17 58 2.1 1.3 0.6 1.3
Barley grain 12 84 3.0 2.0 1.3 0.9
Barley sprouts
3
21 71 2.6 0.75 0.47 0.74
Orcar!grass"
fres
24 65 2.4 1.5 0.8 1.5
Orcar!grass 10 59 2.1 1.3 0.6 1.3
ay
#oy$ean %eal 49 84 3.0 2.0 1.3 1.9
9prouting changes the nutritive characteristics of the grain. 3n6ymes break down storage
components into more simple and digestible fractions: for e$ample, starch to sugars, proteins to
amino acids, and lipids to free fatty acids. "here is an increase in fiber and some vitamins and a
decrease in phytic acid, an anti#nutritional factor '11(.
2ith sprouting, there is a reduction in total energy. "he increase in protein percentage is due to
the dry matter loss . 7n fact, the downside to hydroponic fodder is its high moisture content.
According to various forage analysis reports '3(, the dry matter content of hydroponic fodder is
only 1, to 1- percent, compared to almost 90 percent in 'unsprouted( grains and hays '1(. 3ven
corn silage and haylage have considerably more dry matter than sprouts '1(.
7f you do not consider its high moisture content, the per pound price of hydroponic fodder seems
very economical, around ;0.0/ per pound 'or ;1,0 per ton( '3(. 2ithout further analysis, this
sounds like a great way to reduce the cost of feeding livestock. )ut when the wet cost is
converted to a dry matter basis, feed cost becomes very high. At 1, percent dry matter '+<(, wet
feed that costs / cents per pound actually costs -0 cents per pound of dry matter. "his is
considerable more e$pensive than most other feedstuffs, as shown in the tables below.
!omparative costs of di"erent feed costs #as-fed&
'eedstu" !ost /nit 0-lb
Barley sprouts
3
&0.06 poun! 0.060
Orcar!grass ay &60 700'l$ $ale 0.086
Alfalfa Hay" %i! $loo% &250 ton 0.125
Barley grain &6 $usel 0.125
#oy$ean %eal &480 ton 0.240
!ost per pound of dry matter #$%&
'eedstu" 0-lb ( $%
*
0-lb $%
Alfalfa Hay 0.125 89 0.14
Barley grain 0.125 89 0.14
Orcar!grass ay 0.086 88 0.20
#oy$ean %eal 0.24 91 0.26
Barley sprouts
3
0.06
3
12
3
0.50
)ecause of its low dry matter content, the cost of nutrients in hydroponic fodder is also
considerably more e$pensive than other feedstuffs.
!ost per pound of energy #+$,&
'eedstu" 0-lb $% ( +$,
*
0-lb +$,
Barley grain 0.14 84 0.17
Orcar!grass ay 0.10 58 0.17
Alfalfa Hay 0.14 58 0.24
Barley sprouts
3
0.50 71 0.70
!ost per pound of protein #!)&
'eedstu" 0-lb $% ( !)
*
0-lb !)
#oy$ean %eal 0.26 49 0.54
Alfalfa ay 0.14 17 0.82
Barley sprouts
3
0.50 21 2.40
=utritional re%uirements of livestock are based on dry matter intake. 7f fed to livestock at a rate
of , percent of their body weight 'a common recommendation(, hydroponic fodder will only
meet a fraction of most animals' nutritional re%uirements, especially the higher producing ones.
"hus, hydroponic fodder, while e$cellent feed, is only a nutritional supplement and an e$pensive
one at that.
.nergy #+$,& re1uirements met by feeding fodder 2 3( 45 #as-fed&
nimal
6tage of production
lb. fodder fed
lb. +$,
supplied
by fodder
+$,
re1uirement
s
lb. $%-day
*
( +$,
re1uirements
met by hydro
fodder
s-fed $%
154'l$. e(e
%aintenance
3.08 0.37 0.26 1.36 19.3
154' l$. e(e
late
gestation"
t(in la%$s
3.08 0.37 0.26 2.66 9.9
154'l$. e(e
early
lactation"
t(in la%$s
3.08 0.37 0.26 2.88 9.1
176'l$. e(e"
parlor %il)e!
*5.2'8.7 l$s
%il)+!ay,
3.52 0.42 0.30 4.42 6.8
-ro(ing" 44'
l$. Boer $uc)
* 0.44 l$+!ay,
0.88 0.11 0.07 1.41 5.3
-ro(ing" 66'
l$. la%$
*4 %os. ol!"
0.66 l$+!ay,
1.32 0.16 0.11 2.18 5.2
132'l$. !oe"
parlor %il)e!
*10'14 l$s
%il)+!ay,
2.64 0.32 0.22 5.50 4.1
.alculations in ta$le
l$. fo!!er fe! *as'fe!, / B0 1 0.02. 231a%ple4
154 l$s. 1 0.02 / 3.08 l$s. as'fe!5
l$. fo!!er fe! *67, / l$. fo!!er fe! *as'fe!, 1
0.12 *8 67,. 231a%ple4 3.08 1 0.12 / 0.37 l$s
67 fe!5
l$. 96: supplie! $y fo!!er / l$. fo!!er fe! *67,
1 0.71 *8 96:,. 231a%ple4 0.37 1 0.71 / 0.26 l$s.
96:5
8 96: supplie! $y fo!!er / l$. 96: supplie! $y
fo!!er ; 96: re<uire%ents *67,. 231a%ple4 0.26
; 1.36 / 19.38 of 96: re<uire%ents5
&ull feeding of sprouts is usually inappropriate due to the
high moisture content of the feed, the high cost of the
feed, and the scale which would be needed to produce
sufficient dry matter '11(.
nimal performance
"he companies that market hydroponic fodder systems
make many claims about hydroponic fodder as superior
livestock feed1 better gain, improved fertility, earlier heat
cycles, improved fleece %uality, improved immunity,
better behavior and temperament, less manure, etc. &ew
of these claims have been substantiated or proven to be
repeatable in e$periments '-,11(.
!ver the years, in many different countries, and with different species 'mostly cattle, pigs, and
poultry(, research trials have been conducted to assess the performance of livestock fed
hydroponic green fodder '11(. Across the many trials, there has been no consistent advantage to
including green fodder in the diet of livestock, especially when it replaces highly nutritious
feeds, such as grain '-,4(. 3ven if there are benefits to hydroponic fodder, the benefits are usually
outweighed by the costs.
>esearch is conflicting as to whether sprouting improves or reduces dry matter digestibility as
compared to the raw grain. 7n a ,01, ?ournal article, 7ranian researchers reported no increases in
%uantity or %uality of dry matter and nutrients with sprouting '10(. 2hile the companies claim
that you'll get a / to 10#fold increase in weight from a pound unsprouted grain, they fail to
mention that the increase 'in weight( is almost all water '-,11(.
At the same time, there is a strong need for more trials to determine the potential feeding value
of hydroponic fodder, particularly with sheep and goats. 9tudies conducted in 7taly in ,009
produced conflicting results with regards to milk production and welfare of sheep and goats
',,.(. Another aspect that needs to be investigated is potential changes in the final product 'meat
and milk( as a result of replacing some of the animals' traditional diet with green fodder.
7ther challenges
!ne of the biggest challenges to producing hydroponic fiber, especially commercial %uantities, is
mold '-, 11(. <oldy sprouts can decrease animal performance and result in animal deaths '-, 11(.
@re#treatment of seed with a sterili6ing agent 'e.g. hydrogen pero$ide( is one strategy for
preventing mold. Aood hygiene in the system is also important. 7t is recommended that the
growing trays be cleaned between crops with a chlorine based cleaning solution '11(.
)igs eating fodder
+he downside to hydroponic fodder is its high moisture content.
ydroponic fodder production re%uires a lot of labor. "ime is needed to soak the seed, make up
the nutrient solution, transfer the grain to the trays, load the trays onto the shelves, check the
fodder daily for growth, remove the sprouted grain from the trays, wash and sterili6e the trays,
and feed the fodder to the livestock. Automation will reduce labor re%uirements, but may
substantially increase investment costs.
7n order to create a controlled growing environment, it can re%uire considerable energy to grow
hydroponic fodder '-(. 9olar power could be used to provide electricity, especially in remote,
rural areas or third world countries.
dvantages of hydroponic fodder
ydroponic fodder has several advantages over conventionally#produced fodder. ydroponic
fodder makes very efficient use of water '*,-,11(. "here is little waste water, as animals consume
the recirculated water along with the feed. 9ince production is hydroponic, there is no leaching
of nutrients into the environment. ydroponic fodder production re%uires considerably less land
to produce feed for livestock.
2hile hydroponic fodder is not likely to become a ma?or source of feed for commercial
livestock, it could be feasible under certain circumstances.
Dry and drought-prone regions
ydroponic fodder production is probably best#suited to semi#arid, arid, and drought#prone
regions of the world. )y growing fodder indoors, crop failures would no longer be a risk. Aood
%uality forage could be produced year#round. &eed supplies would be insured. 9carce water
resources could be allocated more efficiently '*(.
Limited land
7n places where land values are e$tremely high or land is simply not readily available,
hydroponic fodder has obvious advantages, as it can be produced in a small footprint. )ecause
the fodder is produced continuously, there is no need for long#term feed storage and no nutrient
losses that can be associated with feed storage.
High alternative feed costs
2hile this article clearly shows that hydroponic fodder is considerably more e$pensive than
conventional feedstuffs, it assumes that conventional feedstuffs are available and priced
competitively. "here are many locations in which this is not the case and hydroponic fodder
could be more competively priced.
Small-scale producers
>e%uiring smaller amounts of fodder, small#scale producers may be able to build their own
fodder systems for a few hundred dollars. 2hen the investment is low and labor is unpaid, the
cost of hydroponic fodder is considerably less.
You can build a mini-fodder system for a minimal cost.
Non-ruminants
ydroponic fodder may be best#suited to non#ruminants 'horses, rabbits, pigs, and poultry( who
would benefit more from the changes in the feed due to sprouting 'e.g. less starch, more sugars(
as compared to ruminants 'sheep, goats, and cows( who are less efficient at digesting high
%uality feed '/(. ydroponic fodder seems ideal for horses, though the research is lacking. A
study with rabbits showed no detrimental effect to replacing up to -0 percent of the commercial
diet with green fodder '9(.
Organic
ydroponic fodder production seems particularly well#suited to organic producers '/(, who
already pay high prices for feed or have difficulty sourcing organic feedstuffs. Bereal grains can
easily be sprouted in accordance with C9+A's Bertified !rganic @rogram.
In the future
As competition for land and water increases and feed prices continue to rise, hydroponic fodder
could become a viable option for more livestock producers.
References
1
=utrient >e%uirements of 9mall >uminants ',004( # =ational >esearch Bouncil
,
3valuation of animal welfare and milk production of goat fed on
diet containing germinating seeds ',009( # 7talian Dournal of Animal 9cience
3
&odder @ro '&arm"ek( ',01,(
*
Areen fodder production and water use efficiency of some forage crops under
hydroponic conditions ',011( # 79>= Agronomy
-
ydroponic fodder production1 an analysis of the practical
and commercial opportunity ',011( # "he =ew Eealand <erino Bompany
/
ydroponic fodder systems for dairy cattle ',013( # 7owa 9tate Cniversity
4
@erformance of feedlot calves fed hydroponics fodder barley ',011( # D. Ag. 9ci F "ech
.
7mprovement of sheep welfare and milk production fed on diet containing
hydroponically germinating seeds # ',009( 7talian Dournal of Animal 9cience
9
@roductive response of rabbits fed with green hydroponic oats forage as
partial replacement of commercial concentrate ',011( # Acta Agronomica
10
@roductivity and nutritive value of barley green fodder yield in hydroponic
systems ',01,( # 2orld Applied 9ciences Dournal
11
>eview of hydroponic fodder for beef cattle ',003( # <eat F 0ivestock Australia
Homesteading and Livestock
9elf#reliance and sustainability in the ,1st century.
in9hare
DIY Sprouted odder for Livestock
3G1,G,013 ,1-01,/ @<
)y 9arah Buthill
"ags1 fodder, natural feed, sprouted grain, 9arah Buthill
9prouting and growing grain for livestock fodder is a simple and efficient way to not only feed
your animals a more natural and fresh diet, but is also a practically effortless way to save money.
7magine for a second that the -0 lb. bag of feed you ?ust bought could grow into 300 lbs. of feed
that is more nutrient dense in ?ust nine days. uh whaHI 7snJt ?ust the mere idea of cutting your
feed bill worth the tryH 7 think you will be pleasantly surprised.
9prouting fodder for livestock is similar to sprouting seeds for human consumption, but in an
e$treme degree. "hink more along the lines of sprouting wheatgrass than the little bean sprouts
you would put on a sandwich. )y sprouting grain and harvesting it 'feeding it to your animals(
right before the sprouts get their second leaves at about 4#10 days, you do not need to use
anything more than water to grow them Knot even fertili6er. "he action of sprouting amplifies the
natural proteins, vitamins, mineral, en6ymatic activity, omega 3Js, amino acids, natural
hormones, and stimulates immune response. !f course the increase in these wonderful benefits
varies grain to grain.
"he sprouted fodder, no matter what seed or grain you choose to use, is fed whole: greens, seeds,
and sprouts as a whole. Bommonly used grains for fodder are barley, wheat, and whole oats.
)arley, which is the easiest to grow, has a crude protein percentage of 1,.4 percent and a crude
fiber percentage of -.* percent as a seed. "hese percentages ?ump to a crude protein percentage
of 1-.- percent and a crude fiber percentage of 1*.1 percent after an average of seven days of
sprouting. )y sprouting, the digestibility of the grain increases from *0 percent to .0 percent so
livestock will not need to consume as much fodder compared to commercial feed because they
are obtaining more nutrition from a smaller volume of feed.L
As far as setting up your own fodder sprouting system, there are many options out there for
purchase. "he only problem you will run into is that there are no fodder sprouting systems for
smaller operations, like say, a homestead where you only have one horse, or a few goats, or a
small herd of rabbits, or a modestly si6ed flock of chickens. &or us, you will be left to build your
own. )ut no worries folksI A system can easily be set up using
materials you already have laying around or using items from
the local discount or dollar store. MouJre in good hands here
+7MJers.
)efore we start, you will need to figure out how much finished
fodder your animals will be eating on a daily basis. 7 have
included a rough estimate for the more common homestead
animals, but please do your own research on feed amounts and
if necessary, consult your veterinarian. As any responsible
animal or livestock caretaker, you will not only need to
transition your animals onto fresh fodder, you will need to
monitor their growth and maintenance rates to keep them in a healthy condition while you get
used to feeding fodder. 9ome animals will also re%uire roughage or mineral supplements. @lease
only use these amounts as a guide.
N orse1 ,#3 percent of their body weight in fodder: 1.-O body weight in dry hay
N )eef Bow1 ,#3 percent of their body weight in fodder: barley straw ration
N +airy Bow1 3#- percent of their body weight in fodder: barley straw ration
N 9heep1 ,#3 percent of their body weight in fodder: hay ration
N Aoat1 ,#3 percent of their body weight in fodder: mineral and hay rations
N +airy Aoat1 3#- percent of their body weight in fodder: mineral and hay rations
N Alpaca1 ,#3 percent of their body weight in fodder: hay ration
N @ig1 ,#3 percent of their body weight in fodder
N >abbit1 3#- percent of their body weight in fodder: hay ration for roughage
N Bhicken1 ,#3 percent of their body weight in fodder: grit and calcium supplements
"o get started in growing your own sprouted fodder, you will need1
N ,P deep trays 'look for ine$pensive baking pans or dish pans at your local dollar store( with a
moderate amount of small holes drilled in the bottom.
N bulk bag of untreated, feed grade, whole grain seed: barley, wheat, or oats 'oats are the more
difficult of the three common grain seeds to sprout and is more prone to mold(
N large bucket
N rack or shelf to keep your trays of seed on
!ptional1 water pump and hose to re#circulate the water used.
&or the best growing results, 7 recommend that the temperature
of your fodder system stays between /3 degrees & and 4-
degrees &. "he fodder can be grown with only ambient light, so
although grow lights or direct sunlight can and will benefit your
fodder, direct light is not necessary.
2hen setting up a rack to put your sprouted fodder trays on,
keep in mind that the rack will likely become wet during
watering. A simple metal QstorageP rack would be wonderful to
use especially if a plastic tub of some sort can be placed underneath to catch any water poured
through the system. Arrange the fodder trays so that the level below is lined up to catch any
water from the tray above. Another good idea would be to drill holes in one side of each tray and
then raise the un#draining side by about 1#, inches. Alternate which side is raised on each
consecutive level so that the first tray drains into the second tray, the second tray drains into the
third, and so on. Mou can pour water from a bucket into the first trays or you could set up a small
fountain pump on a timer with a hose leading to the top trays to water all of your fodder. Aood
air circulation is key to keeping mold from growing in your fodder so choose a location for your
system that receives plenty of fresh air.
ere is an easy system to follow1
'>emember1 in order to keep your sprouted fodder growing in a cycle for fresh fodder every day,
be sure to start a new batch of seeds every day. (
9tep 11 9oak the needed amount of dry seedGgrain in a large bucket. &ill the bucket with cool
water at least two inches above the seeds. Allow the seeds to soak for 1,#,* hours or even
overnight. A shorter soak time may result in less seeds germinated.
9tep ,1 After the seeds have soaked, drain the water and dump the seeds into the appropriate
amount of trays. "he seeds should never e$ceed 1G, inch deep otherwise mold may develop due
to poor air circulation.
9tep 31 >inse or water each tray ,#3 times daily. "he goal is to provide water for growth, but not
allow standing water in the trays. )e sure after watering that each tray has drained well.
>epeat 9tep 3 for seven to nine days depending on the growth. 7deally, you will have about si$
inches of growth by day nine. Arowth is very dependant on temperature and water.
9tep *1 arvestI &lip your tray over or pull the fodder from the tray and feel confident that you
are feeding your animals a more natural feedI &eed the sprouted fodder whole: greens, seeds, and
root mat. )ecause how densely the root mat that develops over the nine days, the fodder can be
cut into serving portions with a bo$#cutter or knife much like a roll of housing carpet.
7t really is that simple to grow sprouted fodder for your livestock. Dust soak, drain, water and
harvestI "he most complicated element of this system will be sourcing grain or seeds to use. !f
course if you have a local farm supply store, feed supply store, or local grain mill, it will be the
most likely place to find seeds to use. Alternatively, seeds or grain in bulk can be found from
online resources like A6ure 9tandard, "ractor 9upply Bompany, and state grain mills. A simple
google search will probably find ?ust what you need.
7f you would like a day#by#day breakdown on starting a sprouted fodder system, visit 9arahJs
website for more information.
* Source: Cuddeford (1989), based on data obtained by Peer and Leeson (1985).
Sarah lies !ith her husband and youn" dau"hter in an old Californian "old#rush to!n and is
learnin" to be $ore self#reliant thou"h "ardenin", ani$al husbandry, and by $a%in" thin"s fro$
scratch. &oin her 'ourney fro$ the ery be"innin" and learn alon" !ith her on her fa$ily(s far$
blo", )r*hlin"s%abine +icro#)ar$.
>ead more1 http1GGwww.motherearthnews.comGhomesteading#and#livestockGsprouted#
fodder.asp$Ri$66,yw@"if<7
<any months ago, we learned about growing fodder for livestock 'Arowing 9prouted &odder for
0ivestock( and how large#scale systems are being developed to reduce animal feed costs, provide
better nutrition for animals, and reduce the amount of water needed to produce said feed. "he
small#scale commercial systems looked great, but the upfront costs and production level were
simply too high to ?ustify such a system for a small homestead like ours. 2e started to look for
other options and ways of producing our own fodder at a lower initial cost.
"his article details our current process and success at creating a system that can meet the needs
of small backyard farmers and homesteaders. &or less than ;40 in initial setup costs, we have
developed our own little home system that is surprisingly time#efficient and effective.
2ith our +7M home fodder system, we have found we can turn about 30 o6. of barley grain into
1, K 1- lbs. of fodder. "his gives us enough fodder to feed about 3 # * milk goats or 1- # ,0
chickens every day. "he cost of fodder seed in our area ranges from ;1/ to ;19 for -0 lbs. of
barley, and this translates into ;0./0 # ;0.41 per day, or ;1..00 # ;,1.00 per month for feed cost
'as of +ecember ,01,(.
System Setup! List! and "ost
#prouting tu$s ' 5 s%all plastic tu$s fro% a !ollar store" (it oles for
!rainage !rille! in 4 of te tu$s ' &1.29 eac / &6.45
=lastic cutting $oar! ' free" as (e a! one (e (eren>t using tat ca%e (it
our grill
5 $lac) see!ling trays *a?aila$le at plant nurseries an! online, ' &2.99 eac /
&14.95
3 ig !o%e li!s *a?aila$le at plant nurseries an! online, @ &6.64 eac /
&19.92
2 lo( !o%e li!s *a?aila$le at plant nurseries an! online, @ &2.99 eac /
&5.98
#el?ing syste% ' &21.32
#otal initial system setup cost - $%&'%(
Our )rocess
In the morning..
3very morning we take the fodder out of one tray and prepare it to feed to our chickens and
goats. "he chickens seem to waste less if the fodder is in one or two large chunks, and the goats
like it to be cut up into smaller portions. )oth the chickens and goats will eat the entire fodder #
root mat, seeds, and green shoots.
After / K 9 days of growth, our fodder harvest looks like this #
9licing through the root mat with a serrated knife #
&odder prepared for goats #
"he chickens seem to go for the hidden barley seeds within the fodder first, but they eat most of
the entire thing. "here is very little waste.
"he goats 0!S3 the fodderI
After the morning feed, it's time to take care of the fodder#growing system.
ere are the specifics of what we do: the details for your own system could vary depending on
the si6e of your trays and how much fodder you are trying to grow. 2e e$perimented with the
amounts until we found the right amount to grow within each tray.
1. 0e put te plastic tu$ tat as no oles in te $otto% of our sin) an! put a
plastic cutting $oar! on top.
2. 7easure out 2 scoops of $arley see! *for us tis is a$out 5 cups" or 30 oA.,"
an! pour into an e%pty tu$ (it !rainage oles. Binse te ne( $arley see!
(ell" an! pour oC te caC" $eing careful not to pour out any see!s. Df you
a?e a catc screen in te $otto% of your sin)" you can collect te caC an!
any see!s tat !o appen to fall out to fee! to cic)ens. After rinsing te
see!" re%o?e te cutting $oar! an! nest te tu$ (it oles into te tu$ (it
no oles. .o?er te see! (it (ater *a$out t(ice te le?el of te see!, an! a
teeny glug of $leac. .o%%ercial syste%s use a %uc'!ilute! $leac
solution to (ater te fo!!er" (ic elps %itigate te gro(t of %ol! an!
fungus. 0e foun! tat an initial 5' or 10'%inute soa) in a !ilute! $leac
solution (or)s great.
3. 0ile te see! is soa)ing in te $leac soa)" (e (ater our fo!!er trays. Our
$lac) fo!!er trays Et perfectly into te $otto% of our sin)" $ut (e a?e a!
success (atering te% ne1t to te sin) as (ell. 0e use a y!roponic
tecni<ue calle! Foo! an! !rain. 3ac tray is Elle! (it (ater" an! ten
%ost of te (ater is !raine! oC. 0e (ater eac tray tis (ay.
+rain off the e$cess water, being careful not to spill out the fodder. !nce the fodder has grown a
good root mat, this is very easy.
2e keep our fodder trays on a shelf in our laundry room. After watering, we cover the trays with
plastic dome lids.
4. After (atering te $lac) fo!!er trays" (e !rain an! rinse te see!s tat (ere
soa)ing in $leac (ater. 0e rinse a fe( ti%es" an! ten nest te tu$ (it te
see!s into te tu$ (it no oles" an! soa) te see!s in fres" clean (ater.
0e soa) tese for a$out 12 ours.
5. .o?er te tu$s on te $otto% of te sin) (it te plastic cutting $oar!. 0e
a?e a neste! stac) of anoter 4 tu$s tat contain see!s tat a?e $een
sprouting for 1" 2" 3 an! 4 !ays. 9ransfer one tu$ at a ti%e to te sin)" an!
nest eac into te tu$ $elo(. -i?e te see!s a goo! stir (it your an!s.
Bepeat (it te re%aining tu$s. Once te last tu$ as $een transferre!" all
of te see!s are easily (atere! $y (atering te top tray" an! letting te
(ater soa) !o(n troug te tu$s.
Aive the seeds some good air circulation by moving the seeds around with your hand.
>epeat with remaining tubs, and nest each tub into the tub below, until all are moved into the
sink.
2ater all tubs by watering from the top.
2e fill up the top tub until the seeds are covered. "he water then drains through each tub,
watering the one below.
"his photo demonstrates how the water will trickle down through each tub, thereby watering all
of the seeds.
6. Our see!s spen! 4 !ays in te sprouting tu$s" an! ten tey %o?e onto a
$lac) see!ling tray. After allo(ing te (ater to !rain troug te top tu$
*(ic contains te 4 !ay sproute! see!," (e transfer te see!s into a $lac)
tray.
9pread out the seeds in an even layer, appro$imately a TP deep. 2e cover this tray with a dome
lid, and put it with our other fodder trays on our shelving.
In the evening.
!ur process in the evening is basically the same, e$cept that we donJt harvest any fodder, and we
drain and rinse the seeds that we started soaking in the morning. "he evening tasks only take
about 1- minutes of effort and ensure that all the newly sprouting seeds and root mats remain
moist and continue to grow. @revious attempts at growing fodder before developing this system
resulted in very slow growth due to a lack of constant moisture in the system. "he trays and
dome lids seem to really help in this process as well.
Some *dditional #houghts
2e are currently growing our fodder in our laundry room, which is a very cool part of our
house. "he ideal temperature for growing barley fodder is /-#4-5. >ight now, being the middle
of winter, we find that it takes us about 9 days to get a nice, tall growth on our fodder. 2hen the
temperature is a bit warmer, the fodder grows faster, and we could harvest within / days.
"he seeds donJt need any light until the last couple of days. 3ven with large#scale commercial
systems, the fodder spends only its last few days ne$t to a fluorescent bulb. At this time, we are
using natural light coming in from , windows in our laundry room. 7f you have to sacrifice one
over the other, it is better to have the right temperature rather than perfect lighting conditions.
2ith our new +7M fodder system, we have significantly reduced our feed costs and have
developed an easier way to store larger volumes of 8potential8 feed for when times are tough or
feed costs rise. 2ith a little e$tra daily effort, you, too, can grow this great feedstock and have
healthier, happier animals overall.
Resources
"he video here shows basically what we do with our nested sprouting tubs, and our initial system
inspiration came in part from this +7M setup. www.youtube.comGwatchH
vU?<e0E@o0%*FlistUCCkVbdoh3a3v0Ct@0@),/WbwFinde$U.
9ome good +7M inspiration for a more automated system, but still on a small scale. "hey also
have small scale fodder kits available for purchase.
http1GGwww.half#pinthomestead.com.Ginde$.html
9- page 'I( discussion on backyardchickens.com regarding +7M fodder systems
http1GGwww.backyardchickens.comGtG41333*Ggrowing#fodder#for#chickens
&!++3> 9M9"3<
Fodder Feed Dot Org is an online business that is at the forefront of making
available the most innovative fodder feed systems and products for the high
quality production of animal and livestock feed.
Whether you are a horse trainer, farmer, or just a livestock owner, you are
probably looking to fnd economical, sustainable alternatives to traditional feeds
that provide superior performance and nutrition. We can put all that science has
to ofer into your hand so that you can efectively grow and produce the right
feed.
Whether you need to fatten up that beef cow, or put lean muscle mass on that
horse. Fodder Feed Dot Com has the right fodder feed solutions and the right
products for you and your livestock.
The science shows that there is great nutritional beneft provided by hydroponic
sprouted grain and it is suitable for all livestock including, sheep, cattle, horses,
goats, lamas chickens, and provides animals with improved growth and overall
health.
Our hydroponic fodder feed systems are producing high quality ,economical
animal feed particularly suited to every environment, but especially those
environments that experience drought, land shortages, short growing seasons
and climate difculties. A fodder feed system will give you, year round, super
nutritious feed for your animals at a great unbeatable price.
We ofer the right size system to meet your needs at the right price. You shouldnt
have to pay for a system that produces more feed than you need. Our 6 Tray
system produces 15 pounds of fodder to feed a couple horses, or we can set you
up with a 18 Tray system that produces 270 pounds of Fresh Fodder that will feed
a herd. We can help you fgure your needs based on the weight of your animal.
Fodder : The Best Option for Animal Nutrition
Sprouts grown in a Fodder Feed System are a highly nutritious source of animal
feed. Sprouts are best incorporated into a feed as a concentrate, grain
replacement, hay replacement, or supplement. Always verify planning with your
vet when mapping out a fodder solution.
There are many advantages to feeding sprouts grown with hydroponic fodder
feed systems. Since sprouts are fed year round, they are considered a living
feed. Advantages that come from the animals having access to sprout fodder
solutions include:
Phytate reduction for pH normalization
High digestibility
Vitamins & mineral saturation
Omega 3, amino acids, natural hormone
Enzymatic activity increase
Vitamins and Minerals
Sprouts are saturated with vitamins and minerals. Sprouts are loaded with
vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C. There is 10 20 times more vitamins than in
grain. The minerals that an animal needs in its diet are complimented nicely by
the sprouts.
Digestibility TDN
Sprouts are around 90% digestible which is very high as opposed to dry grain
and hay which are around 35% digestible.
By digesting the food sprouts more efciently it cause the animal to use less
energy in the breakdown process. In turn this enables animals to use the energy
for such activities as milk production, reproduction, weight gain, and waste
management.
Rumen pH
Rumen pH is a critical element in dairy and other ruminants. An acidic
environment will tie up minerals making them unavailable to the animal. Likewise,
microbial life (such as enzymes and good bacteria) cannot thrive in an acidic
environment. Grain comes littered with Phytate. Phytate produce acidic
conditions in the rumen. So, feeding grain limits the amount of available minerals
to the animal while putting stress on microbial life.
Sprouting grains in the FodderTech System means that you wash the phytates
out of the feed. This in turn causes the pH of the rumen to normalize. Minerals are
more available and microbial life has the proper pH to thrive.
A Living Feed: Microbial life
Enzyems aid in digestion. If microbial life has the proper conditions to thrive then
it will grow exponentially in the rumen. Strong enzymatic activity dramatically
improves digestion which means that the animal uses less energy to digest feeds.
The net energy gain that results helps generate increased performance and
health.
Omega 3s, Amino Acids, and More
Back to Basics
Over thousands of years cows, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and many
other livestock animal have thrived in the spring because they have access to
tender, young shoots from cereal grains. Start providing year round spring
grasses to your livestock now with a fodder feed system. Fodder Solution is a
wave of the future that is now just presenting itself.
Hydroponic odder +ro,ing Systems - -asy
to .se / *fforda0le to Operate
'our 6easons 'odder 6ystems 8 6implifying the way you
grow fodder9

Gour #easons Go!!er #yste%s a?e $een !esigne! an! create! to $e user
frien!ly" aCor!a$le" an! practical. 3ac syste% is co%pletely auto%ate! an!
progra%%a$le $y te consu%er" an! all are !esigne! an! constructe! to
%a)e gro(ing y!roponic fo!!er easy an! enHoya$leI

%inimal :e1uirements9 +ime, 5ater, .lectricity, 6pace9

Gour #easons Go!!er #yste%s are stan! alone an! are not a!?ersely aCecte! $y
e1ternal cli%ate con!itionsJ eac syste% co%es e<uippe! (it eating an! cooling
co%ponents" $ot of (ic are ?ery energy eKcient an! !esigne! an! $uilt in ouse. All
of our G# %o!els are %o?a$le $y te consu%er if nee!e!.

3?ery Gour #easons Go!!er #yste% uses a (ater recirculation process (ic allo(s for
no per%anent (ater supply or !rainage connections" a si%ple $uc)et or ose (ill !o Hust
Ene (en te ti%e co%es to top oC te ol!ing tan)s. Our recirculation process also
allo(s eac syste% to use ?ery %ini%al a%ount of (ater !aily (it our s%allest unit
*9e G#1015, using only 3 gallons a !ay to pro!uce 15 poun!s of fee! !ailyI

Gorget a$out ig energy costs or 220L po(er supplies to gro( your fo!!erI Gour
#easons Go!!er #yste%s run on a single stan!ar! 120L 15A po(er outlet an! %any
syste%s !ra( less po(er tan a s%all %icro(a?e o?enI

Mour ti%e is pricelessI 9at>s (y all Gour #easons Go!!er #yste%s functions are
co%pletely auto%ate! an! progra%%a$le $y you" te consu%erI Gro% (atering ti%es"
(ater te%perature" artiEcial ligting functions" cli%ate control" to u%i!ity control" Hust
set once an! (al) a(ayI

#ort on #paceN Our s%allest unit *9e G#1015, is only 30O (i!e $y 4> long an! (ill Et
troug any stan!ar! siAe !oor *As !o all of te G# 7o!els,I Our G## %o!els are %etal
si!e! se!s" $uilt in ouse" tat allo( te consu%er to gro( %ore fo!!er (ile
upol!ing all of te Gour #easons Go!!er #yste%>s ?alues an! functionsI

All Gour #easons Go!!er #yste%s are fully asse%$le!" %o?a$le" an! rea!y to gro(
fo!!er at te ti%e of !eli?ery an! set'up" (ic is al(ays perfor%e! $y a Gour #easons
Go!!er #yste%s PP. tecnician" :O user asse%$ly re<uire!I

#upport an! piece of %in! are our nu%$er one priority. Gee!ing your ani%als is
i%portant to us an! support is a <uic) pone call a(ay. 24 ' 7 ' 365 (e are ere to
ans(er any of you <uestions regar!ing any or our syste%s an! perfor% all te
necessary actions to resol?e any issue our consu%ers %ay $e e1periencingI

0e strongly reco%%en! tat any person intereste! in y!roponically gro(ing fo!!er
perfor% all te necessary researc prior to purcasing an! operating a fo!!er gro(ing
syste% an! fee!ing fo!!er.

Gour #easons Go!!er #yste%s PP. is appy to ans(er any <uestions
regar!ing any of its syste%s features" an! functions $ut (ill refrain fro%
gi?ing nutritional an! ealt a!?ice on y!roponic fo!!er as you te
consu%er soul! )no( an! researc (at is $est fro% you an! your ani%als.



Its not science

Its a love of all that is agriculture in an ever changing
world

A love of growing and feeding
excellent feed that produces healthy,
happy animals!

No ertili1er or Hormones 2ust 3ater and Seed
Day ( of cycle 4Left5 # 2heat seeds have begun to sprout roots and head after being soaked for
,* hours before planting.
Day 6 of "ycle 4Right5 # "remendous growth in root bed occurs before growth of shootsG heads.
ealthy root beds will create a mass that resembles that of a tight knit carpet lifting the seed
and shoot from the tray.
Day % of "ycle 4Left5 # >oot bed is almost fully developed and growth transfers to shoots that
have grown to 18#,8 in overall height.
Day 7 of "ycle 4Right5 eeding Day - +ro,th so fast you can nearly see it8 &ully developed
shoots and root bed ready for feeding. ealthy root beds are hard to seperate and shoots are -8#
.8 in overall height. &rom simple seed and water comes healthy natural feed with no fertili6er
and hormones added.
acts *0out odder
#prouting fo!!er is young ten!er grass gro(n fro% any cereal grain. Dn essence" te
e<ui?alent to fres spring grass (ic is recogniAe! as one of 9H3 $est li?estoc) fee!s.
Hy!roponic fo!!er as $een a %ainstay in !rougt prone areas for generations $ut !ue
to rising fee! prices is <uic)ly $eco%ing a popular fee! source (orl!(i!e. Dt allo(s te
consu%er to pro!uce teir o(n fee! in (ic tere is no !ou$t to <uality" nutrition" an!
a?aila$ility Hust e1cellent green fee! 365 !ays a year.

+he bene;ts of growing < feeding hydroponic fodder are numerous and range
greatly=
- Improved digestion and asorption while using less energy in the process of digestion
and asorption
- !educed ris" of colic, respiratory illness, and gut ulcers
- #odder is rich in minerals and vitamins A, $, % &
- #odder provides an extra source of hydration while feeding
- #odder has higher digestiility '()*-+)*, than traditional dry hay '-)*-.)*,, which
means less waste
- /ivestoc" fed fodder experience increased energy levels and improved overall
condition
- 0rowing fodder provides a guaranteed year round feed source, with no 1uestion to
feed 1uality and aundance y the consumer
- 2inimal space, water, and electricity are re1uired to grow fodder year round
- #eeding fodder e1uals greatly reduced feed costs, as low as 3)4)( per pound, thats
3+)4)) a ton
- #eed costs in -)5- reached 35-4)) a ale63)4-) per pound6 37))4)) a ton for horse
1uality hay
- 0rowing and feeding fodder means less ris" and wor" than storing and transporting
dry hay
- 2any cereal grains can e used and grown as hydroponic fodder

>rowing and feeding fodder is an e?cellent source of nutritious feed but some
facts should be kept in mind when considering hydroponic fodder and while
growing and feeding hydroponic fodder=
-#odder is an excellent, healthy alternative to feeding solely dry roughage ut should
still e fed with some dry roughage as it will aid in the digestion and asorption
process4
-#odder may not e a desirale feed source for horses that have a history of founder
-8hile the time re1uired in growing hydroponic fodder is minimal it is always constant
and at times does re1uire extra attention and care

Any persons intereste! in gro(ing an! fee!ing y!roponic fo!!er soul! !o all te
necessary researc $efore perfor%ing suc tas)s.
our Seasons odder Systems - .nit )ricing
All Four Seasons Fodder Systems are custom tailored and equipped to suite each
clients needs, and as such any prices given in this list are general estimates and subject
to change accordingly.

All Four Seasons Fodder Systems are sold with a 30 Day rial period in which time i!
you are dissatis!ied, or have decided that growing hydroponic !odder is not !or you we
will give you a !ull re!und with the return o! the unit. "ach system comes standardly
equipped with everything needed to immediately begin growing !odder.

1 Horse Units - 10-15lbs produced daily/5,475lbs-2.73tons annually, !1015
-"ill replace 50-75# o$ daily %ay used
-"%en co&pared to %ay prices ' (300.00 a ton t%is unit could sa)e you (*20.00 a
year in %ay costs+
,ppro-i&ate Unit .rice/(4,000.00

2 Horse Units - 20-30lbs produced daily/10,050lbs-5.47tons annually, !1530
-"ill replace 50-75# o$ daily %ay used
-"%en co&pared to %ay prices ' (300.00 a ton t%is unit could sa)e you (1300.001 a
year in %ay costs+
,ppro-i&ate .rice/(4,*00.00

3 Horse Units - 30-45lbs produced daily/12,425lbs-*.21tons annually, !3045
-"ill replace 50-75# o$ daily %ay used
-"%en co&apred to %ay prices ' (300.00 a ton t%is unit could sa)e you (2400.001 a
year in %ay costs+
,ppro-i&ate .rice/(2,500.00

41 Horses/ !! &odel units please call $or all pricin3 as 4e 4ant to pro)ide you 4it% a
syste& t%at 4or5s per$ectly $or you.

Four Seasons Fodder Systems ##$ strives !or customer satis!action which is why all o!
our systems are delivered, assembled, and completely set%up by one o! our trained
technicians at your location.
Here to Help
Support and piece o! mind are our number one priority. Feeding your animals is
important to us and support is a quic& phone call away. '( % ) % 3*+ we are here to
answer any o! your questions and per!orm all the necessary actions to resolve any
issue our consumers may be e,periencing-
ome X omesteading X +ead 9imple &odder 9ystem
Dead Simple odder System
@osted by1 Dack 9pirko in omesteading =ovember -, ,013 *9 Bomments -,3*1 Siews
!ver at "he 9urvival @odcast 7 am always finding new things, thanks to my guests and listeners.
0ast year 7 learned about something called a Qfodder systemP. &odder systems convert grain and
seeds into high %uality fodder for livestock. "he most popular fodder is barley because it is
cheap and grows fast, but you can make fodder from almost any seed that your animals would
want to eat.
"hese fodder systems range from +7M systems using rain gutters and grow lights that take say a
hundred or so bucks to create, all the way up to multi#thousand dollar commercial systems with
automated timers, complete climate control, and lots of bells and whistles. "he selling point of
both systems is high %uality feed and a relatively fast payback time.
Bonsider that when you grow fodder, one pound of barley, when grown to fodder, will become
anywhere from 3#/ pounds of feed depending on how long you grow it out. 2e grow ours to
about * times the weight. 7 do this mainly because 7 keep chickens and geese and the chickens
donJt like it too grassy. 2hat this means is my -0 pound bag of barley is e%uivalent to ,00
pounds of feed.
igh %uality chicken feed is generally about 1- dollars a bag. 9ince we want to avoid both soy
and A<!s we pay about ,- pounds a bag for a natural non#A<!, non#soy feed made by "e$as
=atural. 7t is made with wheat, sorghum, peanut meal, field peas and some other great stuff. 7n
general, 7 am happy to pay more for a great product that keeps my birds and my family healthy.
Met we have about 1, laying hens and as many as -0 meat birds at times along with our geese.
9o it can get e$pensive.
9o how much does it save us to spout fodder for our birdsH Bonsider that we are paying about 1*
dollars for a -0 pound bag for barley and ending up with ,00 pounds of fodder. @rice per pound
is therefore, 4 centsI 7f growing for goats or cattle and taking it up to / times conversion, your
-0 pounds of barley becomes 300 pounds, price per pound is therefore about *./ cents a pound,
less than a nickelI
7t gets better though, sprouted grain is a super food not ?ust for people but for animals, too. =ow
that our birds are on sprouts, pasture and high %uality feed, their health is ama6ing. "hey also
absolutely love sprouted barley and some other sprouted things as well. 2ith your animals
loving something that is great for them, has no A<! threat, and costs you less, you can see why
someone might invest hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of dollars in a fodder system, 7 am
?ust here to tell you it isnJt necessary.
9y system is made up of the follo,ing:
/ five gallon buckets, - with holes drilled in the bottom and one with no holes
9ome cinder blocks for the buckets to sit on and drain
A scoop to measure the barley, this is actually my wifeJs scoop for her bird feeders
)uckets at 0owes or ome +epot are about 3 bucks each, most people have or can borrow a
drill, you can use anything like even rocks to sit your buckets on but 3 cinder blocks do the trick.
=ew blocks if you have to buy them are, at most, , dollars. 9o even if you buy everything new,
including the scoop, my system will cost you a ma$imum of no more than 30 dollars to build.
7 know what you are thinking, well fine but how much time does it take compared to an
automated systemH 2ell, 7 spend about - minutes in the morning and - minutes in the evening
with my system. 7 do this, drinking coffee in the A<, often with a beer in the @< so it never
feels like work to me at all anyway. 7 could easily double my production if necessary with no
more e%uipment. 7f 7 wanted to go up by * times, 7 would need only / more buckets and perhaps
another minute or two a day ma$imum of my time. 2hen we did our last meat bird cycle, 7
simply put in two scoops of barley a batch and once we slaughtered them 7 backed it down to one
scoop.
)uckets in 9taging Area
)uckets
Here is ho, it ,orks!
Day One K 9oak one to two scoops of barley in your bucket with no holes for about 1, hours. 7t
is best to start your soaking in the evening.
Day #,o 9orning K +ump the barley that was soaked overnight into one of the buckets with
holes drilled in the bottom. 0et it drain and set it in your sprouting area. Mou want a shady spot
that doesnJt get too hot, you donJt need much sun at all for this. +onJt start another batch
soaking at this time.
Day #,o -vening K 9et your bucket of soaked barley on something to let it drain, 7 do this
where the water will be of advantage to my garden. &ill the empty bucket with no holes about
3G* full, dump that water on the soaked grain to keep it moist and rinse it off. @ut a scoop in your
bucket with no holes, add water to cover well, return both buckets to your sprouting area.
On the morning of day three you ?ust continue the process, now stack a new bucket with holes
inside the one with the two day soaked grain, and dump the grain you soaked overnight into the
new strainer bucket. &ill the soaking bucket about 3G* full, dump into the strainer buckets, let
drain and return them to the sprouting area.
1 +ay 9oak
, +ay 9oak
3 +ay 9oak
* +ay 9oak
- +ay 9oak
7f you can set things up so the rinse water will drain to a garden from your sprouting area you
wonJt even have to move the buckets.
3ach day you will notice the barley or seed of your choice is changing a bit. )y day two you
should see tiny white roots starting to pop out of the grain, day three you will see a lot of roots,
day four a bit of green and day five %uite a bit, this is when we feed the fodder to our birds. 3ach
day 7 ?ust stack all the buckets and dump one bucket of water into the top to rinse the grain and
keep it moist. Mou can feed this grain to your animals at any point along the way or grow it out
further. Mou will ?ust need to decide what they like best and what gives you the best return of
investment on your feed costs. onestly the chickens like it best before it totally turns into a
matt with grass on it. )ut the geese love it matted up and green. 9o we compromise and stop at
- days versus the 4 days many grow fodder for.
Mou really can do this with any grain or seed that will sprout and form something your animals
will want to eat. 2e tried black eyed peas and they were great spouts on 3 days but to our
surprise the birds didnJt really like them. 2hile they love to eat field peas, leaves, pods and all
in the field where we cover crop with them, spouts ?ust didnJt do it for them. 7 also tried black
oil sunflower. <y laying birds ate it and seemed to like it okay but didnJt get really e$cited. !ur
meat birds 'freedom rangers( didnJt seem to want it at all. 7 will e$periment with some other
grains and seeds but for the most part it seems that barley is best.
<any have told me barley wonJt sprout at temps much above /0 degrees. 0ike 7 said, we keep
our buckets in a shaded alley between our garage and house. 7t is cool in there but we have had
great results and our temps have ranged from *-#9- degrees during the time we have been using
this system, we have never had a failure to sprout and grow. 2ill it work in the summer when
temps climb well into the hundreds and overnight lows are still in the high .0sH 7 am not sure,
but 7 am confident it will work most of our year in the south.
"he other thing 7 am not sure of is how cold we can go before we have a failure to sprout. )ut
we will find out. 2e can always move the system into our garage at that point, again you donJt
need much light at all to ?ust start the beginning of green growth and the birds actually like it less
grassy anyway. 7 am going to try sprouting some sorghum and, if they like it, we can go to it in
the hotter times of the year if necessary. 9orghum is still a non A<! crop and available in bulk
at a low cost ?ust like barley. 2e also know we can grow a lot of it on site because we ran trials
with many varieties this year.
* fe, simple things to make your spouting successful
1. +onJt let your grain soak more than twelve hours. All grain has wild yeast and lacto
fermenting bacteria on it. 0eft too long it will begin to ferment, it will then stink and
likely not sprout well.
,. +rill small holes in your buckets, lots of small holes are better than a few big ones. "his
will let you try sprouting smaller seeds. +onJt sweat the holes. As long as the bucket
drains, you are good. 7 used a 1G. inch bit for my system.
3. !ur QscoopP holds about , cups of grain, it works fine at that rate and we can go to two
scoops '* cups( with good results per each bucket. 7f you need more fodder, set up a
second set of buckets.
*. 7 find it best to start my soaking in the evening. 7 am less likely to forget it that way.
9ince 7 feed the birds each morning that reminds me to strain it off. )ut do what works
best for you.
-. "ry to find a nice cool shaded spot for your sprouting and, again, if you can set it up so
you can rinse in place, all the better. A 4
th
bucket could be used to bring the water in and
take it out if you want to do that.
7n any event, if you keep chickens, rabbits, geese or other livestock, this is a great and cheap way
to cut your feed costs and provide super nutrition to your animals. 7f you ever decide you want a
fancy automated system, fine go for it but try this first. Mou can always use the buckets as
planters if you move up in such a system. )est of all this system re%uires 6ero electricity, as long
as you have water and can dump a bucket, you are in business.
7 have been told by those in the north that their winters are too cold for my method. <y response
is one cheap grow light and the buckets are likely sufficient in whatever area you would set up
your fancy system. &rankly the light need only be placed over the last two buckets in the cycle,
if at all. Again this process doesnJt need much light. Cnless you are doing a 4 day cycle with
ma?or top growth for goat or cattle or something like that, 7 ?ust canJt see making a much larger
investment. 9o give this system a try, it wonJt set you back much, your animals will love you for
it, and it will seriously cut your feed costs.
)uckets in 9taging Area
)uckets
1 9coop of )arley
1 +ay 9oak
+ay 1 Bonsistency
, +ay 9oak
+ay , Bonsistency
3 +ay 9oak
+ay 3 Bonsistency
* +ay 9oak
+ay * Bonsistency
- +ay 9oak
+ay - Bonsistency
+ay - Bonsistency
+ay - Bonsistency
+ay - Bonsistency
+ay - Bonsistency
&eeding Aeese
+orothy 9pirko &eeding Aeese
&eeding Aeese
&eeding Aeese
&eeding Aeese
&eeding Aeese
&eeding Aeese
&eeding Bhickens
&eeding Bhickens
&eeding Bhickens
&eeding Bhickens
&eeding Bhickens
&eeding Bhickens