Friday, February 24, 2012

Sprouts for Poultry

While Ken is at the organic conference, I am taking on his chores.  One is to sprout grain for the birds. Grain comes in a complete little package and once sprouted, that grain has more nutrition.  Ken has had a tough time finding grain that will sprout.  Grain that is not viable has less nutrition. Once grain is broken or ground it begins to decay.  Grain that has been ground a long time becomes rancid. Ground feed from grain that doesn't sprout has lower nutrition.

In the old days farmers sprouted grain for livestock and poultry.  I have seen plans for sprouting grain for cows from a book published in the early 1900's.  Ken's and my grandfathers  ground grain once a week for their animals.  Now we buy feed of unknown age and viability for our animals.  This does not seem like progress. 

Currently we are transitioning our animals away from soy as we read more and more of its adverse affects.  It amazes me as the chickens have picked through their feed leaving the soybeans as long as I can remember.  Soybeans are a relatively new addition to feed.  Soy was added as a protein source as corn became grown for volume not nutrition and its protein dropped dramatically. 

2 comments:

  1. This is very interesting. I've had issues in my mind with soy for a long time, but it's difficult to get away from it in the animal feed. Please keep sharing as this word needs to get out and maybe more of us will be inspired to make the change, too.
    =)
    Kim

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  2. There are other alternatives for added protein: fish meal, crab meal, other legumes - but none of those are subsidized by the government. Soy in Asia is always served after it has been "processed" for greater digestibility and nutrition like miso or tempeh or natto. In this country processed is not cultured or fermented, but run through a factory for shelf life. Very different! Thanks, Kim!

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