Download Sprouted seeds

Home grown proteins –
Testing the options
Sprouting seeds and
pulses for livestock feed
Liz Bowles
Head of Farming Soil Association
[email protected]
wwww.innovativefarmers.org
Sprouting seeds and
pulses for livestock feed
 The field lab approach
 Origin of the sprouted
seeds and pulses field lab
 Experimental question
 Progress to date
FIELD LAB APPROACH
 Farmers join a group
 Each group has a
coordinator
 Groups are matched
to a researcher
 Research finding can
be provided
 Groups share
findings via the web
portal
 We spread the word
• “From
advice
takers to
advice
makers”
SPONSORS
Feeding sprouted cereals
and pulses to livestock
 This field lab
seeks to
investigate if
there are any
benefits from
feeding sprouted
cereal and pulse
seeds to
livestock
 No rigorous
performance
trials have been
conducted to date
What do we know about
feeding sprouted seeds and
pulses to livestock?
 Research conducted
in Australia, Iran
and the USA
 Research /
anecdotal evidence
suggests that
substituting
concentrates with
sprouts allows
reductions in
total concentrates
fed at a given
level of animal
performance
Nutritional changes on
sprouting
Experimental questions?
 Quantifying the benefit
in use: Is there a
benefit of feeding
sprouted seeds compared
to un-sprouted seeds
(animal health and
nutrition)?
 Cost/benefit: If there
is a benefit, is it
large enough to overcome
the growing costs?
 Scalability: If there
could be a cost benefit
how can on farm
production of sprouts be
made practicable?
What have we learnt so far?
 1 kg seeds produces 6.25
kg after 6 days sprouting
 Dry matter 8-18%
 Analysis of sprouts
complicated
 Some evidence of
improvements in
nutritional profile
improving digestibility
and animal performance
 Some evidence of
heightened levels of
protein and energy; lysine
and some vitamins and
reduced starch in DM
What have we learnt so far?
 Germination is
improved by pre
treatment of the
seeds
 It is possible
to grow sprouts
on a continuous
belt system
 Key issue is the
cost of growing
and feeding
sprouts
Next steps
 Trials are to
start with laying
hens in January
2016
 Ongoing
monitoring with
sprouts and beef
cattle
 On conclusion of
the hen trial a
meeting will be
called to review
Thank you