Fodder Solutions

Have you guys seen this? It may be an affordable option where hay is hard to get and costly.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=fodder+solutions+youtube&qpvt=fodder+solutions+youtube&mid=89F8998BD1324A4A710189F8998BD1324A4A7101&FORM=LKVR2#

That is too cool! I wonder if you need the whole system kit and kaboodle or if growing them in trays would be enough?

I read about this on another forum and apparently some of the members have made homemade systems out of shipping containers. I've sprouted various seeds in my kitchen in a simple glass pickle jar and window screen on the end. Rinse a couple of times and place a certain way and you'll have sprouts in a day or two. Even sprouting your oats, BOSS, flax, etc just minimially, like with the seed just cracked with tiny sprouts (not huge trays like the system) is much healthier for the horse. I'm thinking a 5 gallon bucket 1/4 full of seed, rinsed, would sprout but I haven't tried it. I wonder if trays just sitting in a warm, safe place in the house would work?

From what I've researched you can feed a horse for less then $1/day with the system. I've spent at least $2000 on hay this year I estimate so I'd have a system paid for in about 5 years. I can't wait to win the lotto, haha! :) Where I live hay really isn't a huge issue yet, but in places like NFLD, don't you pay rediculous prices?

I've heard horror stories about NFLD hay prices. I know here in CB, hay isn't expensive, but finding quality hay is just not happening. My hay is fair for the most part, and some people I know that cut their own have mostly good bales, but if you want to get nice horse hay you order it off PEI for 4-5$ a square.

My though process is when I get enough land to have a decent vegetable patch, a lot of my livestock feed with come from that, root veggie tops and things, thus it serves a multi-purpose. Horses are a bit harder to please than cows, and I find the hay is the killer. My feed costs are on par with my hay, which is rather sad considering how much different types of feed and supplements they get, but when 95% of their diets rely on what sort of fodder I am giving, I need to up my concentrates to make sure they get everything they need. Such a pain! Simple, healthy and cost effective do not go hand in hand.

It would be something to look into, sometimes I find with some of those systems once you get going the cost is minimal but to start up and make it in quantity the cost is quite staggering. The only problem I think with growing sprouts for horse feed is quantity.

I wonder... you know those bread crates? They stack and are only 5 inches high, but 3x3 feet square or something, I wonder if getting plastic seed starter trays set up in the same way the video showed, putting them in the bread crates, and rotating the stack would work. Even having them in a small greenhouse made of pvc pipe and moisture barrier plastic, it would be wholly cost effective, 100$ or so, and that could hold say 3 bread crates wide and 4-5 high. Oh the wheels are turning...

Do you think the plastic blueberry crates that they use to harvest blueberries would work, they are stackable.

Oh good thinking!

Looks like a great idea!!!!!

Hey Nicole.....we could get something rigged up in Gary's "greenhouse"

One thing that comes to mind with sprouts is the rinsing. Isn't that something that care has to be taken with when the sprouts are used for humans. Would the same apply with horses?

How do people come up with these brilliant ideas?

Wonder how the cost for running the system in the frozen north would compare to sunny Australia?

I think Gary could probably make something like this work Carol! With his greenhouse and all his hidden treasures in Shane's barn (does he even know what he has in there?) you probably have everything you need ;).

I found this guy on youtube from Ottawa who has a similar homemade system for his veal calves:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UluPey05VEQ

The news article is from 2001. I was able to find his contact info online and thought about calling him to see how he's doing now and if the system is still successful, but I haven't yet.

Cost of running the system VS cost of producing hay, the cost of running the system would be considerably less. With the gas, tractor costs (maintenance, purchase price, etc), man hours, storage costs of forage, land costs (purchase price, taxes), land maintenance, etc, it all seems so HUGE!

This is where I initially read about this, the post has lots of info:
http://www.ultimatedressage.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=201247&p=6820048&hilit=barley+sprouts#p6820048

That is so interesting..lots and lots of info to read !! but i am keen to have a go !!!!

Yep, good hay is hard to find in NL so most of it is imported from the maritimes. We pay $400/tonne. Works out to roughly $10/bale. It's a killer!

When I worked at the Stb racetracks in Ontario, I noticed that some of the (cough*better*cough) trainers would get long strips of sprouts like the ones in the vid delivered every day. They'd then divide them up into several smaller chunks and thow them in once a day as a replacement for a flake of hay. They said that they were very high in nutritional value, great for the horse's stomach (reduced ulcers, better digestion) and the horses loved to play with them as they'd have to really work at eating them as it's all matted together!
I never really thought any more of it until I just saw this video!
It's a great idea and one that could really be looked into as a main source of feed!
Hook it up with some solar panels to power it and it's even cheaper!

I have been talking to a lady just outside of Boston that has warmbloods and uses this to produce some off her feed. She loves it. A year ago she bought a new horse that was in poor shape I was amaze at how good he looked after a few months. Will look to see if I still have the picture of him she send. Here is the website for more info http://www.foddersolutions.net/index.html

I did have a price list will have to try and find it.