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Hi Scott,
I have
been 'monitoring' your fodder site for some time and refrained from
commenting as we have a vested interest, namely the Livestock Fodder
Shed. While many problems relate to the ‘system’ and the method by
which it is fed & grown, another important issue highlights the lack
of scientific evidence that would alleviate many of these problems. As
such I would like to make some comments that I feel we may be able to
assist existing and potential growers.
I do
not believe for one second that I have all the answers. I have drawn on
12 years experience as a commercial hydroponic grower and consultant to
design a system, which to all intents and purposes is working extremely
well. In addition to my own experience, I have consulted with creditable
'experts' from para-horticultural/agricultural fields, including the
CSIRO, Murdoch University, UNE and the Australian Barley Board. In
short, there are fairly strict parameters in which barley can be
grown successfully.
FACT
or FICTION
Firstly, I
would like to address the argument being put forward by so-called
‘experts’, that hydroponic barley is a poor substitute for the
traditional fodder supplements such as hay and lucerne. Is growing
hydroponic fodder both beneficial to livestock while at the same time
cost effective? While those of us who have the practical experience in
growing fodder and then experienced the significant benefits, for
others, scepticism will remain until independent research can be carried
out by respected institutions such as the CSIRO. I recently spoke to a
dairy farmer who simply stated that the hydroponic fodder system
‘didn’t work’. When I asked how did he know, he stated that, and I
quote “…some bloke on the ABC radio said they were no
good”……..this ‘bloke‘, was an employee of one of our larger
agricultural supply companies.
The
simple fact is, that at the ‘coal face’ they do work, but anecdotal
evidence is not always sufficient when dealing with the capital required
to finance such a project. The questions being asked audibly by the
growers and behind the closed doors of the fodder plant manufacturer
must be addressed scientifically if hydroponic fodder systems are to be
an integral part of any farm carrying livestock.
While
the sceptics say we can’t prove that the hydroponic fodder is not
beneficial, they cannot scientifically prove that it doesn’t work. If
I was to offer an 'opinion', make a scientific statement or put forward
a theory or proposition, it must be backed up with fact, or in the
case of a proposition, scientific guidelines that would support either a
positive or negative result. These basic 'ground rules' do not appear to
apply to some of our so called 'experts' putting forward the
argument that hydroponic fodder has little to offer compared with
existing methods of supplementary feeding. I have spoken with several of
these 'experts' only to find out their statements are largely based out
of text books and feed tests only, and the existing knowledge on how
these types of feed pass through an animals GIT. I have asked
them the question, where did you do your research? How many cattle were
in your sample group? How much were they fed? Was this feed
supplemented with hay etc? What were the weight gains? Was there an
increase in lactation? What type of hydroponic system did you use? etc.
The answer was as I expected. There has been no appropriate research
completed at this time. The basis on which statements have been made is
based on historical texts and feed test numbers, unrelated to
hydroponic fodder.
That is
not to say this problem is not being addressed, as there is some
research currently underway in WA, NSW and Qld. However it appears that
in most cases 'interested parties' (those manufacturers who are
supplying systems to the universities), intend to withhold relevant
scientific data which they will use in there own systems. After an
agreed amount of time the research will be released for public scrutiny
and while this would be considered good business practice, it’s cold
comfort for farmers who need the information NOW.
Everyone
agrees that research is long overdue, but withholding this information
can only exacerbate what is already in some cases, a tragic
situation. At this time we are seeking assistance from the Rural
Industries Research and Development Corporation, in particular Dr Simon
Hearne and his team, who have indicated that they are most interested in
assisting us in facilitating research that will be released to the
public as soon as it becomes available.
‘AT
THE COAL FACE’
But does it
work? Do cattle benefit from the hydroponic fodder? Is it cost
effective? There's only one way to find out and that is to try it, in
conjunction with institutions that will provide factual, unbiased results
for everyone to see. I do believe it does work and it has huge
potential and while my attempts to get both State and Federal
Governments to take an active role have been held up by the team with
the 'other agenda', I have been greatly supported by Greg Hunt MP
(Federal Member for Flinders). However, I do believe the government
has a responsibility to pursue any 'idea' or reasonable proposal that
may reduce the drought dilemma which faces many farmers throughout
Australia both year in and year out. The fact is we live in the driest
continent in the world and our current approach to water usage is
nothing short of criminal.
The
simple fact is that livestock do benefit significantly being fed on
hydroponic fodder. How do I know? Over the past 12 months we
provided three farmers (2 beef cattle and 1 deer), with hydroponic feed.
Each split their herds and fed their cattle on both hydroponic fodder
and hay respectively. On each occasion the cattle on the hydroponic
fodder either maintained their weight or increased it, while a similar
result occurred with the deer. We are currently undertaking trials with
a local dairy farmer, and result at this time are very encouraging. Even
from the limited trials we have carried out on our own farm, we
can see very clearly the benefits of hydroponic fodder over existing
supplementary feeds such as hay and grain.
GROWING
TIPS
It would
appear the most common problem many growers experience is related
to mould, mildew and fermentation. Mould and mildew occur in areas
of high humidity associated with warmer temperatures and poor
circulation. From our own research and according to the experts we have
spoken to over the past two years, there are two main issues related to
environment when producing hydroponic fodder. Firstly, the humidity
should be kept below 80%, while the ambient temperature should not
exceed 23 degrees C. Another problem is water temperature. If the water
temperature is allowed to climb higher than 24 degrees C for any length
of time, then barley will do what barley does best.... it will start to
ferment! And those of you, who have encountered this problem, will very
much relate to the smell that is a sure give-a-way. In addition to this
essential criteria, other parameters must also be taken into account,
namely;
1.
water quality and temperature,.
2. the
type and quality of barley grain,
3.
extreme weather conditions, and
4.
the 'operator'.
Good
clean water is essential and a good rule of thumb, is if you can't drink
the water, don't expect the plants to. We suggest a water analysis could
save you some anguish down the track when the end results may prove
costly.
One
factor we have found to be the most frustrating is the quality and type
of barley which should be used. As a rule, 'feed' grade barley is
preferable and while we have tried many varieties, none appeared to
stand out significantly over another. Given that many farmers had little
choice in selecting their grain, as little was available, they too found
that ‘clean’ barley was more important that the ‘types’. As the
experts from the Australian Barley Board explained, it’s what you do
with the barley after it has germinated that will reflect in the quality
and quantity of green fodder produced. On our own farm we have had
barley supplied which contained dirt, rocks, corn, chook pellets?
sorghum, sticks, sea shells,,,,,,,!! In short, full of garbage. We are
currently being supplied by a wholesaler who supplies us with 'clean'
grain (most of the time), in 40 kg bags. While we pay a little
extra, we save overall in not having to clean the grain ourselves and
the conversion rate is up around the 7.5 to 8+ kg.
No one
can account for extreme weather conditions, so there will be times when
your environmental control system is not capable of maintaining correct
temperature or humidity levels. However, these systems should be able to
maintain an optimal environment ranging from -10 to 40 degrees
centigrade while at the same time keeping the humidity within
acceptable limits.
Given
that we can control the environment, the quality of water and grain
etc, the weakest link in the chain is the operator. There are no short
cuts when running the fodder shed. There are specific parameters which
must be considered if not, the end result will reflect a less than
desirable outcome. Relying on computers and other automated equipment to
be 100% accurate can be fraught with danger, so double check everything.
The
following is a guide as to what we suggest will promote optimal growth.
Water
temperature
<23, >16 degrees C.
pH
6.4
CF
16 - 18
Humidity
< 80%, >40%
Grow room
temperature.
< 23, > 18 degrees C.
There
are other issues including the soaking times and the depth of grain
etc, which can be debated ad infinitum and the only way
these issues will be settled, is by appropriate research. Keep your
'system' CLEAN. We have seen systems where the barley growing on the
floor is higher than that in the system itself.
Our
system is operated within the above guidelines and at this time our
conversion rates are around 7.5 – 8+ kgs.
We do not have any mould, mildew or fermentation problems so it
would appear we are on the right track.
Your
comments and or constructed criticism are most welcome.
Peter Doyle
Managing
Director
Livestock
Fodder Shed P/L
Peter Doyle
Consultancy P/L
www.peterdoyleconsultancy.com.au
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