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Sprouting barley for fodder - DIY style?

Connemara Farmer

Often kick this idea around in my head, wondering how to give it a go on the cheap.

The trays and water etc I get, mold issues. What I'm trying to figure is the environment and a ---> very <--- cheap way to control the environment.

Would it work in a polytunnel? Not the sheep tunnel, or maybe the sheep tunnel, but a small poytunnel?

I'm not sure if the temp dipping at night, or possibly getting too high on a sunny day would muck it up.

Anyone any experience?

Remember, cheep, like the budgie

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_Brian

Dark seems to be required for germination as te units I've seen are dark. Also teagasc trials were done in old mushroom tunnels in Ballyhaise back in 90's

I've thought about it but space has to be an issue for scalability to make it worthwhile.

Connemara Farmer

Space, yes, I also wouldn't want to do it in the house for that reason.

I see a good bit on Google people sprouting at home for rabbits and chickens and the like, they don't seem to be doing it in the dark though.

Green farmer

Hydroponics , is that what your thinking about Con ? Adam from Countryfile did a report on it one time. It's up on YouTube

Connemara Farmer

Green farmer wrote: »

Hydroponics , is that what your thinking about Con ? Adam from Countryfile did a report on it one time. It's up on YouTube

I know yeah, I've seen those before, if I remember right that's a commercially available system?

_Brian

Connemara Farmer wrote: »

Space, yes, I also wouldn't want to do it in the house for that reason.

I see a good bit on Google people sprouting at home for rabbits and chickens and the like, they don't seem to be doing it in the dark though.

Your right.. I missed that, I'd only seen systems grown in the dark !!
Must read further..

Username John

This may be a stupid Q - and I know I should google it... but I'm lazy...

So - how does this work? What makes the sprouted seed, better than the original barley seed? Is it absorbed better by the animal or what?

Green farmer

Username John wrote: »

This may be a stupid Q - and I know I should google it... but I'm lazy...

So - how does this work? What makes the sprouted seed, better than the original barley seed? Is it absorbed better by the animal or what?

Shir if you googled it, what would we talk about here. :rolleyes: I know next to nothing about other then it's growing barley using nothing but water, in a dark shed. Like water crest we used to do in school. I remember seeing another programme of a guy in kerry or cork that grows it as well, or out west somewhere. Takes about 7 days to grow from seed to 6 " fodder grass.

Connemara Farmer

Username John wrote: »

This may be a stupid Q - and I know I should google it... but I'm lazy...

So - how does this work? What makes the sprouted seed, better than the original barley seed? Is it absorbed better by the animal or what?

I've sent a couple of emails to people I know asking after various issues to do with sprouting barley, nutrition is one of them. The important thing is that all fodder comes into this area on the back of a truck or tractor, that's expensive. From what I've been reading it MAY be possible to replace SOME of that with sprouted barley. I'm still researching it.

I Googled it for you but wasn't picky about the result I picked

http://mosesorganic.org/farming/farming-topics/livestock/sprouted-barley-fodder-a-revolution-in-animal-feed/

Connemara Farmer

This seems to pour a lot of cold water over the idea though

http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/hydrofodder.html

serfspup

if you are going to all that bother to sprout barley why waste it feeding sheep....make beer:D

Connemara Farmer

serfspup wrote: »

if you are going to all that bother to sprout barley why waste it feeding sheep....make beer:D

Cos I don't like beer :P

IH784man

What do you do from step 1 to the finished product