Sprouted Grains animals....

I know I know you wanted this part yesterday but I had to have you want to come back didn't I? Ok here it goes....

Sprouting for animals so far is about the same as I explained how to do it yesterday just on a much larger scale. And it tends to sour a lot faster no matter the temp and would probably mold faster to.

I use 5 gallon buckets one we have drilled holes in the bottom. Again sorry no pixs, but here are some links to where I learned what to do.

To Sing With Goats

DIY Sprouted Fodder

Sprouted Fodder System

And there are various videos on youtube I found useful. The main article that got me thinking is one from the Dairy Goat Journal the article is not online but in the magazine so sorry I can link to it.

The difference in fodder and just sprouting is the fodder is like growing grass you want to grain to grain and inch or two and the root system is thick and matty. Sprouting is soaking it for the 12 hours let it sit drained for 12 hours and either feeding it then or rinsing and draining again for another 12 hours but not letting it grow like the fodder.

Both ways are started the same your just letting the fodder get established more. Right now I soak my wheat, oats, and barley for 12 hours, let drain and sit for 12 hours and feed. I tried soaking for 24 and it soured every one ate it but didn't like it as much. Then I tried soaking 12, draining setting 12, rinse drain 12 but that too soured. Again they ate but didn't like it as much. The way we do it now works fine and it is still beneficial but I want more of a sprout on the grain but not fodder without the sour.

I know the more I do this the more I will learn and the more I will refine the way I do it. The cost is cheaper than what we were doing, the animals like it especially the cows, and the chickens have all started laying again without extra light. Usually in the winter they molt and slow down on laying since chickens need 14 hours of light a day to lay but we are finding eggs again daily.

I did try fermented grains for the chickens and guineas, they didn't like it as much as the sprouted grains which is really right now just soaked grains. So I soak enough for everyone cows, bucks, does, chickens, guineas, the puppy since he likes them too. The rabbits still get pellets are now at least.

I have also switched the goats to Real Salt instead of the livestock salt, they get baking soda free choice, kelp, ACV in their water which the cows love, probiotics sprinkled on their feed along with herbs I think they might need as well and alfalfa pellets and hay. Every one has there own bowl they eat out of so the feed to measured out for them. Everyone's coats are shiny and heathly looking and they all act the same.

One buck foundered when he was young at his previous owner's place so he gets MSM and a supplement on his feed to help keep his system in balance since founder is caused by an over acidity in the body. Though I do know there are different opinions on this from my research and what we've done with him he is not crippled and breeds and walks around just fine. He actually is the dominate male and bigger than our other buck. They too love the grain but not as much when it has soured.

Now soured and moldy are different so that is why they still eat it. If it was moldy I would toss it outside there pasture to sprout and grow since those grains will grow here in winter. Soured is more like fermented.

As we progress on this I will update you...