I was going to grow fodder for my animals. (Do you hear the stubbornness behind that statement?)
I had read all the articles and I was ready.
I had even made my fodder shelving and bought these awesome durable, heavy seedling trays. I was ready.
This was my setup ↑
Fodder Insights and Information
And then I decided to do a bit more research. I’m really good at jumping in and just doing something and then later wondering what in the world I was thinking. Are you like me in that regard? I hope not!
If you prefer to watch a video about this information instead of reading, click the video below!
But I knew that there were three very specific things that had to happen if I was going to grow fodder for my animals:
- It had to lower the feed bill considerably
- Not add a crazy amount of time and work into my day
- And of course, I want my animals to have a boost in their health
In other words? It had to be worth it.
Worth the time investment and not be a detriment to our pocketbook. If you are already raising livestock, you already know this: animals are not cheap. And at every turn, we are looking for ways to raise healthy animals and save some money.
Who did I turn to for my information? I knew that I had to go deeper than the average blog post. I wanted to know really what was going on with feeding fodder and one of my first goals was to be able to create a calculator for myself (and you) to be able to use to calculate how much grain in pounds it would take to grow enough fodder in weight for the specific amount of animals that were owned.
Seemed easy enough.
So I reached out to Montana State University and found a very helpful and informative professor under the title: Extension Forage Specialist, Department of Animal and Range Sciences.
And I asked a lot of questions.
Definition of Fodder
But first, let’s begin with what these words even mean.
The definition of fodder according to Merriam Webster is this: “something fed to domestic animals, especially: coarse food for cattle, horses, goats or sheep.”
Very specifically speaking, “fodder” is the food that is fed to an animal by its owner, as opposed to “forage”. Forage is the food that an animal will find for itself in a designated pasture or area of grazing.
More recently there has been a resurgence of interest in sprouted grains, also now known as fodder. Usually, the grains are sprouted to about 6 inches tall, which will take approximately 6-10 days.
The week-old sprouts are fed to the animal in its entirety. Meaning, the leaves (grass), roots, and any remaining seeds that didn’t sprout are all fed to the animal and eaten. No dirt is involved. In this quick turnover of seed to grass, there is no need for dirt and the roots become a heavy mass that is rolled up and toted out to the animals.
How to Grow Fodder
Generally speaking, it is fairly easy to grow fodder. One article says that it is “practically effortless” to grow sprouted grains.
As a quick overview, here are the steps that people take to grow fodder to 6 inches:
- Clean the seed, if it wasn’t pre-cleaned before purchase
- Soak the seed for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours
- Lay the seed out in trays no deeper than 1/2 an inch (these trays are so durable and strong! I couldn’t be happier with this purchase!)
- The seeds should be wet down with water 2-3 times a day and drained well each time. No standing water should be left in the trays.
- Do step number 4 until the growth has reached 6 inches. This will usually take between 6-10 days depending on the heat in the room and the amounts of water used each watering.
- Harvest! Dump out the fodder (it’s heavy!) and either roll up or cut it up into manageable pieces.
- Feed to livestock.
- Clean and disinfect trays immediately and very, very well after each use.
- Repeat each day. Every day a tray is taken out, one replaces it making this a continual cycle of growing and harvesting.
Fodder systems can be as easy as setting a small container on the windowsill and they can also be set up to be completely automated after the seeds are in the trays. Some systems can be connected to a water source where the water is reused and pumped to rinse the seeds throughout the day automatically, which helps lessen the time spent manually rinsing several times a day.
Benefits of Sprouted Fodder?
Any article about sprouted fodder will give a very impressive list of benefits. And who wouldn’t want these benefits for their animals?
This list is found on many websites touting the benefits of growing sprouted seeds:
- Water use reduction and conservation compared to field irrigation
- Reduction in overall daily feed costs.
- Significant reduction of feed waste – the entire root mass is consumed with the grass
- Increased nutritional value in the feed
- High yield in a very small area
- Increase your independence by growing food for your animals with no need for cultivated land
- High digestibility
- Vitamins & mineral saturation
- Phytate reduction for pH normalization
- Enzymatic activity increase
- Increases in Omega 3, amino acids, natural hormones
- Hedge the increase in feed costs by pre-buying large quantities of grain to have on hand
- On-demand availability of fresh green feed 365 days a year – all-season access.
But this impressive list isn’t the beginning or end of this discussion. There’s more. A lot more.
Let’s explore if the grass is really greener on the other side…
The True cost of Sprouted Grains
In my research, I found that when talking to people who know what they are talking about in regards to animal nutrition, a lot of the wording and technical aspects of the conversation can quickly go over my head.
This subject about nutrition and the bioavailability of starches, sugars, and the makeup of grains, and hay can get deep and complicated very quickly. Not only can grains and grasses grown in different pastures and parts of the country have completely different nutritional content, but when, where, and how they were harvested also affects the outcome of the feed as well. And all grains are not equal either. Depending on dirt health, harvesting, age, and how long they were sprouted all change the outcome of what ends up being fed to an animal.
So in short, to say that my hay quality and nutritional makeup are exactly equal to your hay is impossible. This would also mean that my barley grain and the sprouts I produce, could not be said to be equal (or better or worse) without testing the specific grains used and the final fodder product.
Is this getting heavy? I hope not!
Because this is where the whole fodder conversation gets blown out of the water.
The Truth About Fodder
Well known or not, animal rations must be calculated and fed on a DRY MATTER basis only. This is so important, I must say it again: Animals MUST BE fed on a DRY MATTER basis only.
If you’ve done any research on fodder, one key phrase may have caught your attention: “1 pound of grain turns into 6 pounds of fodder!”
And what did you think? Like me possibly? “Wow! That’s amazing! How else can you multiply feed like that??”
But it’s a very deceiving claim.
Why? Because of the dry matter.
If you have lugged around a mat of fodder, you know how heavy it is! Incredibly heavy! And all that weight is moisture.
In fact, fodder is made up of about 80%+ moisture content compared to the 15% moisture found in hay.
This is the reality of fodder:
2 pounds of grain (1.9 lbs dry matter), which has approximately 95% dry matter (DM), grows into “grass” in 6-10 days, which weighs at this point 12 pounds and has 10% dry matter (DM).
2 pounds of grain=95% dry matter
2 lbs of grain → 12 lbs of fodder
12 pounds of fodder=10% dry matter
So what has the dry weight of the fodder become at this point?
In terms of dry matter the equation will look like this:
1.9 lbs of dry matter grain = .9-1.2 lbs of dry matter fodder
Wait, what?? The fodder has actually LOST dry matter. For every 2 pounds of starting seed, it will, in fact, have lost almost a pound of dry matter!
And why does this matter again? Because animals are fed on a dry weight basis.
And when you are crunching numbers as I do continually, losing feed is not an option and if it happens, it is very costly and can be detrimental to the bottom line.
But how does this happen? What is going on inside the seed to lose dry matter?
The Reason Behind the Loss of Dry Matter in Fodder
When a seed is growing into a plant, it uses up its stored carbohydrates. This stored starch is used up during the first week of life. Usually, at this point photosynthesis takes over, roots develop and the plant can begin to uptake minerals. But in the case of hydroponic systems, dry matter and carbon are being used up during the 10-14 days of growth, which leads to the loss of dry matter.
So, the longer the sprouts are growing to reach the desired “6 inches of growth”, the more dry matter they are losing.
What About the Previously Mentioned Nutritional Quality Improvements?
Sadly (because I really like the idea of growing fodder) there isn’t any valid research backing up the nutritional quality improvements.
Now do animals usually love the fodder? Oh yes, they do! Chickens might knock you down to get to their fodder treats! The fresh, moisture-filled product is very palatable and pleasing to most animals.
But the reality is that the research done on the nutrition of fodder shows that not only is there a loss of dry matter but the “true protein decreased, and the non-fiber carbohydrate, metabolic energy, and in-vitro gas production decreased in sprouted barley compared with the raw seed.” ~Source
What does this mean for the fodder product? It has lost energy and has actually lost feed value when it is compared to the original seeds themselves. Those barley seeds? Their feed value is at least as good, if not superior, to the fodder.
If you do decide to grow fodder, studies have shown that growing fodder to day four will have the least amount of dry matter loss and will have the best digestibility. Growing past day four will show a significant loss in dry matter, energy, and digestibility. ~Source
Another factor that I hadn’t considered was this: “Thomas and Reddy (1962, Michigan State University) compared 8-day sprouted oats against whole or crimped oat grain when fed to dairy heifers. Digestibility of dry matter, protein, and energy were significantly higher on the processed grain diet than on sprouted oat diet. Daily urine production increased from 4 liters on the control diet to 13 liters per day on the sprouted oats diet. Bedding needs would increase significantly to keep cattle clean and dry on the sprouted oat diet.” ~Source (Mentioned way down in the comments)
When Does It Make Sense to Sprout Grains?
Does this mean that it never makes sense to grow fodder? No, not necessarily.
Here are a few times when it makes sense to grow fodder:
- Low to no sources of quality hay
- A desire to be more self-sufficient while not owning land to hay
- Small animal treats. Chickens and rabbits will love the treat!
- Wanting to provide a varied diet
If you fall into one of those categories, great! But don’t forget to count the cost first. This will not be something that will save time, money, or feed.
What Are Some Cons and Challenges of Growing Fodder?
This was another important factor that I had to consider, despite my adamant desire to grow fodder for my animals. I wasn’t going to just grow a batch here and there of fodder. My original plan was to use fodder to supplement much of the hay we had to harvest and stack each year for my animals.
But I had to ask the hard questions. How much time would I have to devote a day to growing fodder? What are some of the challenges that come up and cause problems?
Are you like me? Lots of animals, young kids, a busy life…
I am looking for ways to simplify and improve. So what challenges come up for those growing fodder?
- The nutrient quality is solely and only dependent on the quality of the seed bought because only water causes it to grow. Low nutrient grain? Low nutrient fodder.
- Mold. That rich, brown dirt out your window? It has wonderful microbes that keep pathogens at bay. In a hydroponic system, mold, mildew, and other pathogens can quickly spiral out of control if the proper temperatures and humidity levels get out of control. And a moldy batch of fodder cannot be fed to animals, which is another potential loss.
- A controlled climate is needed to keep temperatures and humidity at appropriate levels.
- Time spent cleaning the seed (if it wasn’t pre-cleaned), soaking the seed, laying out the seed, watering (if an automatic system isn’t set up), cleaning the trays (to prevent mold), and feeding the fodder, can add a significant amount of time to chores.
- It’s an every day, not miss a day type of system. No time off for you or the fodder.
- It is very wet and heavy and can become a challenge to transport.
- Depending on who you talk to, some found that their animals decreased milk production. ~Source
- Bulk feed storage can sometimes be a limiting and challenging factor.
- Electricity and a water source are needed and depending on the setup location, that can cause challenges.
But where there is a will, there is a way. Sometimes challenges can be mastered and if your heart won’t be content until fodder is made available for your animals, don’t let these reasons stop you!
The conclusion of Growing Fodder for Livestock
There is absolutely nothing wrong with growing fodder for your animals. Many people have jumped on the idea of growing sprouted grains. It feels like something you “should” do, right?
But if you are looking for ways to save time, money, and feed, this probably isn’t the solution you are looking for. No matter which way the equation is looked at, sprouted feeds are:
- More time consuming
- Less dry weight
- Less nutrient-dense than hailed
- Taking up space in the house, greenhouse or garage
- Probably not going to save any money or feed
But I gotta tell you, I want fodder to be all that and a slice of bread, I really do. But the facts cannot be overlooked just because the internet says so in a handful of places or because I want them to.
Fodder has made a resurgence but it’s worth looking into the facts a little more deeply, isn’t it?
The grass just may not be greener on the other side after all.
If you would like further reading, this is an awesome source and the one article that got me to really start thinking about the reality of fodder: Hydroponic Forage
This article was written in 2013 and talks about the experience of several people using fodder. It would be interesting to hear the update, the verdict was still out on their profitability and it’s effectiveness: A Revolution in Animal Feed?
Lindy says
Read the comments. DM is not the only thing to consider. Digestibility and nutrients play a huge role.
Delci Plouffe says
Thank you for your comment 🙂 I really set out to write about exactly what you said: digestability and nutrients and all the wonder of fodder. But when I reached out to the extension forage specialists I got such a different response.
This is a quote from the article I linked in the post (worth reading and all the comments are thought-provoking!) “You are likely correct that there are activated enzymes and secondary plant compounds generated in the sprouts which may be of interest nutritionally. However, in my view, unless someone can document that these are so important nutritionally that they would overcome a 25-30% loss in feed DM, the loss in energy, or the tremendous economic disadvantage, the concept has to be viewed very skeptically.”
Also, this article is worth reading as well and one of the paragraphs stands out to me: “Since the fodder system harvests the sprouts before the plant reaches a positive net photosynthesis, there is less energy in the seedlings than if you were to feed the seed.” https://www.progressivecattle.com/topics/feed-nutrition/6025-hydroponic-forage-system-too-good-to-be-true
At this point, I haven’t read the research that shows the huge nutritional advantage apart from blog posts saying the same thing over and over. Or fodder systems proporting the advantages of fodder, but even then, there is no research to back their statements.
I haven’t thrown in the towel yet. I’ll keep reading and doing research, because I really do like the “idea”. But it has to pencil out and have a big advantage to move forward 🙂
Heidi says
Delci, Thank you SO much for researching and writing about this. My husband and I have been discussing starting fodder systems after we get moved to ID, and your article is definitely useful in our decision-making. Who knew about the dry matter? SO interesting—-Anyway–awesome-sauce as usual! I always enjoy your interesting posts.
Delci Plouffe says
It’s a lot to think about, isn’t it? I spent a whole lot of time today again reading and researching it and trying to find more actual studies of the improved digestibility and enhanced nutrient content. But I can’t seem to find any. Anyways, it’s not a priority for me right now 🙂 Although, I was pumped to get it started lol
Tracy Mohr says
I have been researching fodder for a while, and here’s something that I don’t see anyone talking about. I’ve seen a lot of discussion about dry matter when comparing fodder vs. hay, but what about horses that are on pasture? For example, I have some horses on land that is irrigated, and their only source of feed is the pasture they graze on, no hay, nothing but a mineral block. These horses are in good body weight, some have even nursed foals. How is fodder any different than irrigated pasture? I’m asking because I really want to know. And anyone who has gotten hay knows that sometimes the hay has a high moisture content, and other times it’s bone dry. The bale is the same size, so the hay volume is the same, but moisture content is clearly different.
Delci Plouffe says
Hey Tracy! Thank you so much for your question! It’s a good one! The difference is that grass in a pasture has roots that begin to take up moisture and nutrients from the ground.
As with fodder, it sprouts and uses up its stored carbohydrates, dry matter and carbon. But as the grass in the pasture grows it begins to take up moisture, minerals and photosynthesis takes over. But the fodder doesn’t have that chance. Fodder just spends all it has as it grows taller and taller.
So horses can be very happy and healthy eating grass as their sole feed source. 🙂
But also, as you know, even grass in a pasture can have a different nutritional makeup based on how old and healthy the ground is, how much water it gets, what type of grass, what time of the year it is etc. So even in one pasture, the quality of a field can go down as the summer progresses. And even when and how hay ground is cut and how it is stored also affects the final nutritional outcome.
And as you pointed out, some bales are seemingly the same size but one will be very heavy because of moisture content. But when feeding, this moisture content must be taken into account to feed the proper amounts to each horse.
So many factors to consider. 🙂
So, fodder can be an excellent supplement for animals, if all of these factors are considered and not only the “amazing height it can reach in 10 days” because really, that height only means it has lost a lot of valuable nutrients in the process. And for me, the time it would take to grow fodder for all of my animals and that it truly wouldn’t save me any money, told me that I just couldn’t take on this project right now.
Thanks again for the question! Delci
Jim says
Great article on fodder. A method not for everyone. However, there are some other considerations that need to come into play. Please consider.
: MSU oats vs sprouted oats: First of all, oats (any grains) are not an appropriate feed for cattle. Sprouts are an appropriate feed for cud chewers. So comparing the two is not sensible. The good people at MSU (my local ag university) know better, but their money does not come from supporting healthy animals and quality food. Grains cause an acidic condition in ruminants which causes health issues which keeps the vet happy. Grain fed milk and meat production causes a chemical change in the milk/animal fat produced. This changed fat is unhealthy, the negative human health results of which is why so many people are anti red meat and milk. Grass (fodder) fed makes great and healthy to eat milk and meat.
: Nutrient dense does not mean calorie/protein dense. There are, in fact, endless studies on sprouts being far more nutrient dense than seeds. The seed is the base, undeveloped material. It has some basic nutrients (starch, protein), but it does not have the developed vitamins and other nutrients that cannot form until the seed germinates. A sprout is far more nutrient dense. The seed is not a compacted sprout.
: Carbohydrates. Seeds have starch. Ruminates are not made to digest starches. Ruminants need sugar from plants. Sprouting changes the seed starch to sugar. It is a choice between feeding fewer pounds of appropriate food and feeding based on more pounds of inappropriate food.
: Dry weight as the basis for feed calculation. Is the dry weight even assimilable? Is the dry weight actually an appropriate food? Is the dry weight a complete nutrition or does it cost more money in vet bills and supplements? Will the animal need to eat more dry weight because what is being fed is an inefficient or incomplete food? Dry weight is a very poor way to calculate feed for animals. That method assumes that anything which is dry weight calculated is a good feed. Gravel (dust) has way more mineral content than even grains. Fish meal has way more protein content than grains. Measured by dry weight, gravel and fish are hands down better than grain, fodder, or grass. And yes, they are used as foods. But is the animal’s body made for this type of diet? Ruminants need less dry weight intake when their nutritional needs are met, and it can be significantly less. When I let my cattle have free choice minerals, my hay usage drops by 20 percent. It is all about nutrition, not about dry weight.
Fodder is not for everyone, probably not for most. But a chicken egg has far more omega 3 fats when fed green grass, fodder, or sprouts, than one fed on grains. I’m after that very healthy dark egg yolk for family health, even if the chicken does eat less dry weight when making a superior egg.
Delci Plouffe says
I really appreciated your thoughtful reply! I’ve wondered if I could figure out a system to feed my animals a sprouted grain. So, for instance, barley. I could sprout it and then feed it on the second day, or something like that. My goal is to find the best way to feed my animals the best quality and high nutrition food possible, without breaking the bank or my back and time.
Dareen says
I have been feeding my laying hens sprouted grains for about 4 years now. Not only has my feed expense gone down significantly, my hens lay very well and have excellent quality eggs. I don’t feed 100% sprouted grains as I don’t feel that they get sufficient vitamin and minerals in just sprouts. I feed out the sprouts at day 4. They have free choice commercial layer ration and are fed their sprouts morning and night. A sack of barley or wheat is significantly less expensive than is a sack of layer ration so when I can cut my commercial feed bill in half that is a savings I can live with as replacing that commercial feed with barley or wheat saves me a lot of money. Yes, it is time consuming so if you don’t have time to deal with growing fodder it is not a good fit. If you only have a few chickens, the time required to grow sprouts is minimum. We also grow weiner pigs each year on 7 day fodder and goats milk – no commercial feed. Our butcher says our hog meat is the best he has ever seen! Additionally, when we first began this little homestead project, we fed everything with dry grains and commercial feed. As far as digestibility, on dry grain, cleaning out the manure pens you find a whole lot of undigested grains when feeding dry. Feeding fodder, there are no undigested grains. The animals are getting the full benefit of the grain as opposed to eliminating it all. I am no scientist but I do know from experience that my animals are happy and healthy and do very well on fodder and sprouts. And my pocket book is happy as well!
Delci Plouffe says
Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! I really appreciate your information…because quite honestly I haven’t given up on fodder. I’m still in love with it 🙂 If you don’t mind me asking, how much time a day do you spend working with the fodder with all the cleaning, changing out, washing it several times a day and feeding?
Dareen says
Time growing fodder is different depending upon the time of the year. We only have pigs spring to fall so that is the most intensive time for sprouting. When we raise 3 to 4 pigs fodder chores take about an hour and a half a day. That includes both the pigs and the chickens fodder/sprouts. In the winter months we only have chickens and it takes me about 15 minutes in the am and 5 in the pm to do chores. That said, we have somewhere between 70 and 100 chickens so fewer chickens would not take a significant amount of time. I rarely have to clean my barley. Occasionally I will have to but not often. The chaff and whatever needs to be cleaned off mostly floats to the top of the bucket when you begin the soak and can be scooped off if there is to much. I water in the am and pm. only. I dont water any other time. It is simply am and pm chores. Feeding out I don’t count as time as I do chores am and pm anyway and dumping the sprouts into a feeder doesn’t take any time. Fodder takes alot more time to deal with than does sprouts. The extra time it takes me to do the fodder for the pigs is worth it for the great pork we get. We have tried giving our dairy goats sprouts as well as fodder and while they do love it, I did not see any milk gain with it. I have no doubt it is healthy for them but the time it took to grow the additional feed for them was not worth the end product. I am very happy with fodder and sprouts for pigs and chickens as it truly has saved me significant dollars, particularly for the hens.
Delci Plouffe says
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! That’s exactly what I want to know. One question: how many days are you growing your fodder? Can you explain more about if you feed sprouts or fodder and how many days you grow? Thanks! And thanks for the input!
Ola says
Any qualified nutritionists will tell you DM in rations matters. It is an accepted rule that rations are considered on a dry basis. Anything outside this fact is simply meaningless to the academic world & Nutritionists. ……
Fodder is not fed on dry matter basis….therefore dry matter may actually not count. This is two extremes that can’t meet…. The argument will continue forever …
The way forward is to conduct a reality check and feedback from those actually using fodder systems. Feedback had been positive and encouraging like Dareen positive comments here on reduction of feed expense & overall health of animals.
There is another feedback in the below link of the same positive comments like Dareen.. https://www.grandeurafrica.com/our-experience-on-feeding-chicken-with-hydroponic-fodder/
I hope future facts & researches will emerge to support the use of fodder.
Delci Plouffe says
I completely agree! And in my YouTube video I encouraged people to show me and everyone what they are doing and how they are doing it, how long it takes them each day and the outcome! I want to hear from people who have been doing fodder on a LONG-TERM basis, feeding a good amount of animals (goats, pigs, bum calf and chickens, not just 25 chickens) and seeing success and healthier animals. I haven’t given up on fodder! I just know it can’t add a lot of time and frustration to my day. Thanks for the input!
Tim case says
For one, There isnt any professional on fodder.
For two, Universities have never done a REAL study on fodder and no one ever has the balls to say, hey, lets take some animals and do a study over a 6 month period, with 3 animals per herd, different species, goats, chickens, cows, horses, pigs, 6 of each species, 3 animals per species, one on normal hay, grain, decent hay good in nutritional values, and the other 3 animals on fodder, ( some animals need straw like cows because of their stomachs,,, ( hope i spelled that right ). have a vet checking them and on site during the entire process, ( not one, but 3-6 ), and who are open about the possibilities of fodder… like vets with dogs and raw food diet… same thing,,,, open minded…. maybe it works, maybe it dont, lets do the research and find out.. But, you never have a real research like that,,, no one wants too… so, in return, we all have our skepticism, and hope for a better and cheaper product for our animals so we can still care for them ourselves and keep them healthy or healthier… Im going to raise fodder anyhow because I have seen things I feel its worth it,, and I hate buying feed from people i dont know, and even if you get to know them, as in all things, its business,, you can have a cookout with great people, but when its all said and done,,, its business…. I have trained my own dogs,,, a deaf great dane with american sign language,,, started feeding my dogs on a raw food diet,,, and seen better qualities in them all around… fur, activity, and extremely more playful… ect… i was skeptic about that also,,, so, tried it myself,,, I was happier after one month because my dogs were even more active and playful than I even wanted them to be,,, I couldnt keep up with them,,, Only have one dog now, unfortunately, the others two passed away of old age. great dane was 21, just past last year, and so did our bassett…. after 18 years. Now I have a rescued flat coated retriever.. and I should thought about my age now, but, she is more energetic than I had anticipated… but happy on her raw meat diet.. she is only 3 years old… hope she lives a long time but they are also prone to cancer… which I actually didnt know till I studied the breed before even getting her…. but so happy with her… now, we are getting a nigerian dwarf goat this weekend…. and im starting my own study on fodder, straw and water… ( even going to try the litter box training,,, and believe she will urinate more than she will without fodder,,, its common sense there…lol… ), litter box is straw in a box like 4 foot by 5 foot with 2×4’s. and no straw to lay on in the rest of the goat barn… She is a milker… and I will be keeping track of her health naturally, and her milk production, which is suppose to be 1-2 quarts a day. But, she will also be grazing on 3 1/2 acres. Thats my other issue,, sure, dirt adds nutrients to any plant,,, common science,,, but, other than that, again you right its different anywhere.. but, if you live in an area where you dont get any snow, and you can let your animals graze all year long on pasture, and just say its barley,,, The only thing in my book comparing field grown hay for grazing is no different than fodder accept for the extra nutrients it pulls out of the ground,, dry matter doesnt make any difference if you add straw or even some extra hay, as a supplement or not,, its the same seed,,, yes it will still have some difference because of the nutrients from the ground and where the seed even came from… but from where it came from is so slim it dont matter.. as for nutrients from the ground, it would be depending on the farmer feeding fodder to any animal if they want to add more nutrients, hay, straw, in an animals feed to try to supplement, even for dry matter, its the same,,, it can be supplemented,,, Id rather try it with my own vet before listening to anyone,,, Its like going to the movies,, people giving you info saying its a terrible movie, or its a great movie, or its an ok movie,,, its no different,,, everyone has their own opinions at this time because there is no study like the one above, which needs to include the idea of extending it from 6 months to a year, and or, what they need to keep eyes on. things like birthing, condition of the baby’s delivered and any possible nutrient deficiencies… watching any deterioration in healthy eyes, skin, hair, hoof, size, milk production, weight, immune systems, ( the whole nine yards )… but until tests like those are done,,, no one will know, and everyone will always be skeptical… and as for dry matter,,, that can also be a misleading ordeal because its still hearsay,,, there are no facts that the dry matter content even really matters… ( or at least to a certain extent and if it does, to what animals would it be? definitely not all of them, I could possibly see it in cows, but not any of the other species,,, cows have three stomachs,, thats why I could possibly see it… and need dry matter for help in their digestions,,, but even if an animal needs that dry matter, many animals graze,, which helps,, on top of that, many animals will eat straw on a regular basis,, and I believe that is mostly cows, because of that issue,,, and believe IF,, any animal needs dry matter,,, its called roughage,,, and thats all is needed for roughage is straw,,, and usually the animal takes care of it themselves if its available… during summer or in areas that dont have to worry about winters,,, roughage is always available in their grazing,, and plenty of it,, during winter,,, as far as WE all know, that small amount of roughage, or dry matter is all an animal needs when eating fodder,,,, BUT, we wont know until proper studies are done….. and ANYONE who says they are a profession on fodder, is a liar,,, because no one is… at least for the extent of knowing if its better or worse for an animal… scientist or not,,, IF they want to be called a profession, do a PROPER test like I mentioned above and be honest about it,,, And thats another thing,,, even if one test is done,,, would be nice if other universities did the same test to see if their findings are the same… SO, no matter what article you read, good or bad, doesnt matter until you use it yourself, and try to make sure your animal is just getting the best nutrients it can,,, the means making sure a good vet is on hand for any issues you see your animal having,,, ( I might not even use straw for my goat,,, I may just do straight fodder… just to see what happens and make sure my vet is on hand for any issues )…Like any parent,, your going to make sure your child is taken care of,,, no matter what,,, So, Im going to make sure my kids eats their broccoli everyday… and if she gets a fever,,, I will contact my vet to check her,,, treat her, and I can write it down in my logs to make sure whatever caused it according to the vet, its supplemented in her diet….. Isnt that what we all are supposed to do on small homestead is take care of our animals to ensure proper growth, care, and treatment for a better life for our animals and ourselves? Until I see signs of needing to supplement straw or hay, then I will do so… at least I will know because no one is running test to see what happens, so we have to on our own,, I thank you for your article,,, but, if people always listened to others like, making electricity, or going from horse to car,,, no one would have new things in our lives to begin with… what happens when i do this, or what happens if I take a stick and ram it in a light socket,,, we find out,,, So, if you know all these professionals,, then these so called professionals arent doing their jobs, they are just doing what they think everyone already knows, instead of trying to be honest and prove whether its wrong or right. And sit on their butts. If you have two professions, that think their might be something in fodder, and think maybe something isnt right because they think they might get the facts or not, one for fodder and what skeptical,,, and they did the testing like I mentioned above,, including birthing in two test subjects ( the 3 in each group ), Then we wont ever know,,, Im a homesteader,,, Im a homesteader open to all possibilities,,, professions arent open to nothing anymore because they feel its not important, or big companies pay them to change the results.. take your pick I dont care… but you cant take what you hear, without testing it yourself… if you feel your animals isnt getting enough dry matter with using fodder, add some,,, its like taking hay, and adding grains as a supplement,,, take fodder and add some grain as a supplement,,, even by your dry matter equation,,, 1.9 lbs of dry matter grain = .9-1.2 lbs of dry matter fodder,,,,,, lets brake that down,,, 1.9 lbs of dry matter is grain,, you get .9 to 1.2 lbs of dry matter of fodder,,, well, we dont know what grains your equation looks at so, im going to guess the higher number for lbs of dry matter fodder for 1.2 is actually barley,,, and most fodder growers use barley,,, and is the highest in nutrients, so that means 1.2 lbs of dry matter fodder is barley…. IF your calculations is correct and accurate,,, on barley, 1.9 lbs of dry matter grain is only 1.1 lbs more than the 1.2 lbs of dry matter fodder,,, and IF that is accurate because you and your article is also going on hearsay of others who are not professions in fodder, but nothing but dry matter,,, you only need to supplement 1.1 lbs of dry matter of grain,,, yes,, that would come to an idea, just feed the grain,,, but, but, unless there is a REAL Study done,, no one knows if your 1.2, 1.9, equations are even realistic because the tests havent been done.. not even by your so called professionals, so you cant even take their word for it… no study has been done on how much dry matter fodder is, and if they have, their not testing everything to make sense of anything,, how much dry matter does a cow need compared to a rabbit, or goat, or horse,, that 1.2 ( if its even accurate ), that one calculation could be for anything, oats, barley, whatever,,, theres no exact details,,, but, Im thinking,, a rabbit wouldnt need that much in dry matter,, compared to a cow that needs more dry matter than anything,,, or a goat compared to a horse… Im not saying your wrong in your calculations, but there is no proof for anyone to write any articles until multiple universities are willing to do the proper test instead of saying they are a profession in anyhing,,, doesnt matter if this article is 6 years old or not,, nothing has still been done on a real study, and never will be… So, no one can call themselves a professional until a thorough study is done by multiple universities in the manner i stated above…… This includes the so called professionals you supposedly went too……. Thank you for the article…. it was informative,,, on how many professionals there can be on fodder…. An article is for information, dry matter is not information, its called roughage… cows need roughage,, which straw works fine… its a roughage… but no one wants to go into detail and actually study it,,, straight fodder and water for goat,, and grazing in a field that has sagebrush,, hopefully alfalfa later,, maybe even more animals,,, by then,,, and my vet will tell me how well my goat is doing,,, and when homesteaders that have been trying it for themselves, have a lower or high percentage in illness or birthing issues,,, or my vet says we need more dry matter,, then I will worry because no one tells me how to take care of my animals without a true tried study,,, you cant trust anyone but your vet…….
Tim case says
Sorry, thats .7 lbs of dry matter that would be need to add to a diet for an animal,,, depending if they even need that much dry matter…. no one knows because no one has done serious tests…
Delci Plouffe says
I really appreciate you taking the time to respond with this 🙂 and I totally agree! I wish there were more tests on this and I want to do my own testing on my own animals. And I plan to when I have a bit more time to devote to it!
Cassie says
I am so glad I found your article! I just started growing fodder for our homestead. We raise pork and wanted to feed them only fodder. I would love to get into contact with Dareen who commented on your article. I have been looking for someone who has exprience feeding swine fodder. Would you be able to foward her my email address? Thank you for time and research you have done. I do feel like there should be more research done on fodder. I hate seeing how much undigested grain is in our pigs manure. I love raising pork, but I hate how much “waste” there is.
Uros says
I have a sheep farm. Preparing hay is a very boring and difficult job for me. My sheep receive 1.5 kg of hay and 400 grams of dry seeds (corn, barley, wheat) per day. The growing of hydroponic food in my country is very cheap $ 0.02 per kilogram. If my sheeps get 1.5 kg hydroponic food + 400 grams of seeds per day, is that enough for them?
Charity says
If nutrient loss is the issue for 10 day old sprouts, why not supplement liquid compost into the watering system?
I’ve been using hydroponics to grow cannabis for sometime. It’s an easy fix if that’s the issue.
Feed your plants ?
No loss.
Delci Plouffe says
That sounds great! And awesome it works for you! Thanks for sharing!
Cindy says
Thanks for your article! I have a bunch of those sprouting trays in my “later” list at Amazon (“later”, because I wasn’t sure about the fodder thing). Yours is the first non-gushing article I’ve seen. I figured the weight gain was a non-issue because of course it could only be water, and was worried about lugging out enough fodder to be anything but a treat for my several cows and many birds, not to mention apportioning space for the project inside, during winter. Still, the purported protein gain sounded like a wonderful advantage and perhaps enough to offset the downside. I’m still planning to do some fodder as a treat for my birds, especially my four geese, but the cows are gonna have to make do with hay through the winter, and standing forage. Thanks again, for saving me from an expensive, exhausting mistake.
Delci Plouffe says
I’m so glad that it caused you pause before jumping in 🙂 but your birds will love the treat!!
Bill says
I love this information. I ask the same questions uncovered here to farm supply company that was selling fodder system. I was told DM didnt matter. Happy to see some are willing to tell the king he is naked
MARLENE GRIMSLEY CORUM says
Does anyone know if ducks can eat this as well or even just as a treat?
Delci Plouffe says
They would probably love it! It would be worth trying!
Ken Zmyslo says
A great discussion and I must say that I learned quite a bit. Some I knew already yet the comments replies contained much “food for thought”. I plan on putting in a fodder system and supplementing with mineral blocks and maybe add a hydroponic solution to the water supply, then harvest on day 4 or so.
Delci Plouffe says
Excellent! That is exactly what I was hoping for! Conversation and food for thought! Good luck!
Jono says
Whilst at Ag College we were taught that animals on average eat 2.5% of their body weight as Dry Matter every day. This assumption / fact was the basis for the rationing exercises that we did for dairy and beef cattle and that I still use today. I think that the lack of understanding of DM is confusing the issue in this instance. Yes there may be some DM losses if the sprouted seed if harvested before the germinated plant is able to produce its own resources via photosynthesis but are there any increases in the digestibility (D values) of the available nutrients. Generally speaking grass fodders have a DM content of about 20%, whereas grain feeds have a DM content of about 86%. So if your livestock unit has a weight of 500Kg and therefore a daily DM intake requirement of 12.5Kg you will need to feed either 14.54Kg grain feed or 62.5Kg of fodder or an appropriate mixture of both. The question now is what is the better ration for the animal being fed. Better animal welfare means lower vet bills. Although you may not see a saving in feed cots by feeding a sprouted seed based ration, there could be savings in the production / husbandry system as a whole. Interesting to note that using the same low quoted ratios 1Kg of fodder seed should give me 6Kg of sprouted fodder; therefore my 14,54Kg of grain seed that is needed to feed a 500Kg livestock unit should yield 87.24Kg of sprouted fodder (at 20% DM) – whereas I theoretically need 62.5Kg. It would seem that there is a gain somewhere – maybe after vernilisation the sprouts are photosynthesising, which could be why light is a requirement! I dont have and sprouted fodder available but If a measured amount is weighed and placed an oven and weighed at regular intervals until a stable weight is achieved the DM content of sprouted grains can be easily calculated.
Michele in the Laurentians says
What if instead of growing it in water you planted in soil ? I am in Canada and I wonder if in winter this process might help give them more green to eat but if the issue is hydroponics, then soil is the solution. (no ?) thank you for sharing your research it is WONDERFUL to have all of that distilled for us. Great work!
Delci Plouffe says
It’s definitely worth exploring 🙂 Experiment with it and see what works for YOU!
Kirsty says
I am after growing fodder for my rabbitry. You’re article was very helpful in terms of what actual benefits Fodder have. I am still wanting to give Fodder a go since the new starin of Calici being around I no longer feed my rabbits hay in fear that they would have an increased chance of catching RHDV2. I did increase their chaff to compensate somewhat. Although I realize it is essentially the same thing, I hope that being steam cut and sitting in bags will offer some protection then hay straight from the paddock sitting in a shed with mice, rats, cats etc climbing on it. Hoping Fodder will help aid in the loss of actual hay to their diet. From my reasoning and your article I can assume Fodder is still worth while for my rabbits since the removal of Hay. Hopefully in Aus they will eventually let us have an updated vaccine and then I can go back to hay aswell as fresh pic from the side of the rd. Until then I think i’ll give Fodder a go.
Thankyou for your article. It gave a good insight to some things I was wondering
Marla says
Hello, I enjoyed the article and everyone’s comments. It seems that no one has mentioned anything about fermented grains. I soak my grains in water and wait (one to 2 days) before feeding them to my chickens. The grains sit in the water fermenting a bit more every day. The chickens love it. It doesn’t take much extra time to do. I am told that it makes nutrients more available as well as the seed easier to digest. In addition, you get probiotics that are very beneficial. Does anyone have additional information regarding this kind of feed? This is one article I read explaining how to do it: https://homesteadandchill.com/fermented-chicken-feed/