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Welcome
to part of www.hydrocentre.com.au
(Hydroponics
supplies and advice)
click here to return to hydrocentre
We are answering Hydroponic Animal
Fodder Questions on this page
To Ask a
question check the questions
and answers
in the category relating to your question
and click on the question link at the bottom of this page.
you
may find a ready made answer in that category

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We are currently trialling a new
nutrient from Grow research that inhibits mould growth in
Fodder.
We have limited places for this
trial.
If you are interested contact me at scott@hydrocentre.com.au
or phone me (07) 5527 4155
Thank You
Scott

Developing new growing techniques and
nutrition.
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Click
here for a letter from Peter Doyle - I suggest this is a must read if
you are in the Fodder field
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Note: Archives
below - send messages and responses to the new fodder forum
To
go to our new Fodder forum click here
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CHALLENGE: I want someone
to give me a surefire way to hydroponically grow Wheatgrass, easy on
effort and time, no media to use, free of mould even in summer. I have
so many people trying to do it coming into my store everyday, all moldy
rubbish.
I get people with all
sorts of health issues from cancer and diabetes, heart disease, all
sorts of things like lupus, chronic asthma and so on. I can get a lot of
them healthy again, and most problems are fixable. Wheatgrass is a great
booster especially those who don't eat enough veggies and I need an easy
way to do it.
PS if you have anyone
with any kind of sickness, give me a try, and I might be able to put you
onto a few cures. I live to help people.
Scott
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Your Experiences
14 Apr 2004
I wish to put a
question or two to the people growing hydroponic fodder, firstly are you
experiencing any new problems?
- eg; different
moulds, rotting of seed, fermentation of seed.
- Has previously
stored grain maintained a good germination rate,
- how are you
controlling pests such as weavils or do you buy in small
quantities?
I am throwing these
questions out there to get people talking again, how many people have
given up and shut down their sheds?
I am certain that with
good communication between interested people we can help each other
solve our problems with growing hydro fodder. For instance, at one talk
I was giving regarding the benefits of hydroponic fodder, a
fellow from Europe suggested freezing the seed for up to two hours
before sowing, he believes that this delays the mould growth by enough
days to no longer be a problem, has anybody tried this? We have
not yet, but will be giving it a go, after all Queensland has its own
peculiarities regarding climatic conditions such as high humidity etc
and as such we seem to have more hassles than those who grow down south!
But I do not believe they are insurmountable. So please, anyone that has
an experience to share lets have it. Post it direct to this site so we
can all read it. Cheers, Lesley lesleyt1@bigpond.com
PS. Some people who
have contacted me privately, address the question to Lesley and Scott!
Please let me say that I have no affiliation with hydrocentre other than
an interest in Hydroponic Fodder and am a grower myself (and my husband
Ian!) I really support the forum that Scott has provided for us and have
been very happy with any answers Scott has been able to find for me.
Aww shucks Lesley
(blush).... Thanks for that. I don't charge for any advice. Actually, I
don't even remember making any money from fodder growers so I guess its
free too! I mostly like to help people find out the answers for
themselves, so get in there and try it.
Scott
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Mould in Barley
29 Jan 2004
Hi Scott, Lesley here again. Andrew
Olley's reply was quite right, the asp.clav mould spores are present on
the grain.
In the earlier years when malting barley was spread on large floors
before being processed there was a condition called 'brewers chest' or
something similar. This came about because the spores became airborne
and the workers breathed it in.
We have found that it is very
important to get the pH of the water right, and keep the growing
temperature down, after all, barley is a winter crop. I am pleased that
we have this forum to exchange ideas, thank you Scott.
Another tip:- the quality of the seed
is of the utmost importance, I would not by a huge quantity of seed
until I had tried a sample, seed quality varies greatly and so does
germination percentage, grain is not cheap and storage systems must be
considered. If anybody has any experiences with different types of
grain, I would be very interested in hearing from them, my e-mail
address is lesleyt1@bigpond.com
Regards, Lesley
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Hi Scott,
Noticed you had a couple of people
reporting cattle deaths and Aspergillus in November.
I phoned Dr. Ross McKenzie from DPI to
see if he had heard anything about a recent outbreak, but he hadn't
heard of any reports.
He requested Queensland farmers who
find an outbreak to send him an email at ross.mckenzie@dpi.qld.gov.au
so he can track the problem.
Thanks
Dr. LF
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Thu
11/12/2003
Sorry
to hear about your cattle deaths recently. (I saw your letter on
Scotts discussion page).
We
have been involved as consultants with hydroponic barley now for a
couple of years and have seen many failures along the way but also
some good success. Our main business is agronomists / technical design
and support to large scale commercial greenhouse hydroponic growers in
all areas of Aust and overseas however we have become involved with
barley systems last couple of years and have been astounded at the
lack of technical knowledge from most system suppliers into hydroponic
crop production and environmental control systems and basic plant
production management management.
In
relation to the mould the key is to sterilize the grain on entry to
your growing system.
The
first mould that attacks the grain is Rhizopus spp which is common
bread mould. This mould is present on all cereal grains to varying
degrees. Many of the production systems utilize very fine climatic
control in an effort to limit the amount of mould spores that can
germinate. We have seen Rhizopus infected sprouted barley fed to
cattle with no side effects. However if the Rhizopus is
allowed to progress rapidly early in the growing system it then
becomes a feed source for more dangerous pathogens such as bacteria
and Aspergillus which will cause problems in cattle.
We
have found that if the grain is surface sterilized on entry to growing
system the climatic conditions can be greatly widened (out to 16
degrees night and 28 degrees day with high humidity) as no mould
spores are on the grain itself and hence only chance of infection then
comes from outside the system.
In
terms of sanitizers for the grain we have found Sodium Hypochlorite
(Liquid Pool Chlorine) to be the most effective used at a high rate
and hence short contact time to surface sterilize the grain. It is
essential that the grain is fully covered with the chlorine and then
washed with clean water after treatment.
Another
important management tool is surface sterilization of all surfaces in
the growing area. Surface spray with chlorine on walls, floor roof and
racks etc should occur every 5-7 days and it is really important that
the growing trays are heavily sterilized between crops.
For
washing walls, trays, floors etc liquid chlorine should be used at 0.1
% concentration ie 100 mls in 100 litres of wash water.
To
treat the grain the rate should be approx twice the above rate to
ensure good kill of pathogens on the grain. The chlorine should be in
contact with the grain for 5-10 mins before rinsing with clean water.
Even your clean water should have a small chlorine amount eg 10
mls per 100 litres to kill any pathogens that are present.
Essential
that all the water used in the system is clear and contains no colour.
If colour is present could be due to Iron or fine colloidal clay in
the water which may use up the chlorine prior to it doing its
sanitizing job. If water is coloured tainted it may need to be
initially chlorinated in a tank then passed through a sand filter to
remove the clay / iron and then re chlorinated to treat the grain.
I
hopes this helps you with your problems.
regards
Andrew
Olley Bachelor
Agricultural Science, Certified Practicing Agriculturist, HACCP
Practioner
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A.clavatus
29 Nov 2003
Hi. I am involved in hydroponic fodder
production in WA and am having difficulty in finding people who know
anything about A.clavatus as it affects fodder sheds. The trouble is
that all Ag Departments in Australia except for Qld seem to be anti
hydro fodder production and will not spend any money to research
A.clavatus. We have had a mini breakthrough in WA - a well respected
nutritionist and an Ag Dept./university research officer are about to do
some serious feed trials here on cattle and sheep, and the senior
officer in the Ag dept is keen to carry out real life testing of
A.clavatus at the same time. I have just manufactured a mobile fodder
shed - based upon Peter Ryan's fodder factory principles - and it will
be used for the trials from February. Further to that, I am conducting
my own trials on tray types, different nutrient types, different grain
types and have come across a water conditioner (German technology) that
has controlled an array of algae and moulds in differing situations. I
have installed one in my mobile shed and expect it to assist me with
general hygiene on the trays, walls and ceiling. If it can assist in the
control of A.clavatus then I have a bonus. My second hand experience
over here with A.clavatus is that three different people have lost
cattle with feeding barley - all in high humidity situations where the
temperature climbs. One fodder factory that has been operating for four
years without problems has always kept the temperature below 24 but
there have still been A.clavatus present - but seemingly dormant at low
temperatures. If I have any success with any of this in the next three
months I will be making the findings quite public - not because the
findings will be conclusive, but because it would be some comfort to
people like you and me who are currently starved of any information.
Cheers BG
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Mould and lighting problems
22 November 2003
Hi Scott, I am not in a panic (well I
tell myself this!) but we have found aspergillus clavatus in our
sprouting barley grain. We have dumped all infected product and want to
know what we can spray to ensure that there are no spores left in the
coolroom or on shelving and trays. Also our current lighting is very
dull, what type of wattage do we need to replicate daylight? Our
coolroom may have been a bit warm, hence the mould, I am thinking 18-20
deg. Celsius, what do you think. Thanks in anticipation, Lesley Thomson
Qld.
1. Cleaning with Pool Chlorine
is most commonly used and most cost effective. Check with Dept of Ag for
any better tips. Its pretty difficult to remove I have been led to
believe.
2. Lighting is usually
good fluros like ACTIVA 98% Colour rendition (4ft tube $19.50), kept
very close to the plants, or Metal Halides 400Watters every 1mx1m,
1000Watters every 2mx2m. Electricity and water generally mix badly, so
think about protection for the lamps. Some sort of shield or waterproof
fitting would be advisable. Or skylights - but then heat is an issue.
Scott
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CATTLE DEATHS - lanes1111@hotmail.com
19 Nov 2003
Dear Scott
We have a small farm with a fodder
shed in southern Victoria. We have had severe mould problems with about
20 out of 100 die on us and a lot more seriously ill. We had the fodder
tester for toxicity but at the time it free from A. Clavatus. A couple
of weeks later it developed and we have found ourselves in trouble. We
understand that there is nothing we can do for our cattle but wait it
out and hope for the best. It sure was a huge morale boost to finally
find your site and discover that we are not alone with this problem. We
would really like to get in touch with others that have been through
this or have found solutions to this problem but we don't know where to
start. Can you put us in touch with those who have experienced this
situation. Thank you so much. Lainie
I am sorry to hear
about your situation. I'll pop this up onto the site and ask them to
contact you, And I would ask if a copy (cc:) could be sent to me at scott@hydrocentre.com.au
to ensure that information is updated on the website for everyone.
Hopefully they will all come out of the woodwork and we'll find out how
widespread it all is. Scott
Dear Scott Thanks for being so prompt
in your reply, we really appreciate your assistance. We are very nervous
about taking it up again given the fatalities we have had to date, even
if there is a way around the toxic mould problem. We would be interested
in talking with anyone who grows Hydroponic fodder anywhere in Australia
as we are so new to the process. Thanks again Lainie
Dear Scott I was wondering if you had
heard yet from anybody that may be in or have been in the same
predicament as us. We have had no more fatalities over the weekend, we
seem to be over the worst of it now. The problem is we have invested in
this wonderful shed and we are wondering how to modify it to incorporate
a facility that allows to efficiently wash our grain, and/or what are
some other options for our shed. Perhaps we should branch out and try
germinating other grains? Perhaps we should try growing food instead of
feed? If you can help us to get in touch with others who have invested
in the simple shed, fodder factory or the like it would be a great
benefit to us. These companies, for whatever reasons, are not prepared
to give out the names of their other clients so it is up to us to do our
own investigations.
I wondering about George. I have been
reading his letters to you, he seems like he is running a successful
system. He also seems to be very open and willing to share his ideas and
experiences. Is it possible for us to contact him directly? One other
question, will you be publishing the original letter that I wrote you?
Thank you very much for your support.
Lainie.
I'll send George an
email. I have had a large company with vast resources unable to beat
mould, and others who have no troubles. Seems difficult to pick a
solution. I will certainly let anyone know the solution to the problem.
Hi Scott Thank you for
your information much appreciated, I have sent this to Lainie, one thing
I forgot to mention was that the quicker you can get the feed out of the
shed the better, Regards G
Hi, I got a message
from Scott to E-mail You, Hope I can help. We ran our shed for about 9
months flat out, and we sure had some problems with mould, I think the
mould comes mainly from the grain itself, the trouble is that barley is
by far the most suitable grain for the shed, and it is the grain most
likely to have mould. The first lot of grain we used had been stored on
farm for about 7 months and we didn't have many problems with it, the
second lot of grain came straight off the header, and boy did we have
problems then, that's why I would look at the grain first, You can try
to first clean the grain up by grading, washing, and soaking it in
"Pythoff" (Scott can supply this) . If I start the shed again
I would put the grain in a cement mixer an run water through it until
the water came clear, with this method you could float off any rubbish
and husk off, then soak the grain in Pythoff for 2 hours, then drain it
off , there is no problem spreading the wet grain in the trays. The next
thing you have to look at is the cleanliness of the shed and most of all
the trays. We were very particular about this. After we have emptied the
trays they were soaked in a tub holding 300 lt. of water and in that I
would put 1 lt. of pool chlorine, and soak for at least 15 min, then we
would scrub them clean, sounds a bit of work but in the long run worth
it, we would then wash the racks down and then spray them with a strong
chlorine solution. When mixing up the nutrient solution we would put 1
lt. chlorine to 22000 lt.solution. ( the tub I mentioned can be
purchased from Rapidplas Tanks they call it a creep box). I hope these
rambling's will help you, the ones that sell us the sheds don't know all
the answers, none of us do, we are all on a steep learning curve, it is
very easy to make mistakes, some very costly, with Scott,s web page we
can all share our experiences and together we might solve some of the
problems. G.
Scott
Scott
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Fodder Question We are on our way. 14 Nov
2003
Hi Scott, my husband and I have set up
a growing system at home, not a turnkey system, but a large climate
controlled coolroom capable of growing between 4 and 6 tonne per day of
barley sprouts. We want to sell the fodder to farmers who need or want
to try this food but have neither the capital or the time to purchase a
factory for themselves. We have been setting up our growing room for a
long time now as research and money have both been needed, thank you and
the others on this page for your input as we have gleaned a lot of
valuable information. If anyone wants to contact us personally they can
e-mail us on lesleyt1@bigpond.com
Thanks again, Lesley
Good Luck I'll publish
this for the farmer to see.
Scott
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Peroxide levels for mould
29 Oct 2003
Scott, I have the same
question as most, re mould , have read all question and answers and
would like to know how much peroxide can be added to a 25,000litre tank
, also how much would you mix to wash the seed in, everyone tells you
what you use but not how much. Thanks Glenda
Well, the simple
answer is to get a test kit and add until the desired ppm is reached.
How much is desired? A residual of a small level is good. Growth
Technology make a test strip and I am getting them in stock soon. 50%
Peroxide can be added at around 20ml/100litres every 2-3 days, or
10ml/100litres daily
I have a saying that
no-one gets a simple answer from me. The long answer is that Peroxide
products release oxygen and water as a chemical reaction when they come
in contact with the nasties in the liquid to be sterilized. In the
process the H2O2 becomes H2O and O2, leaving no peroxide. If you have
1000 units of nasties, you will use 1000 units of peroxide to kill them.
If you add 1000 units of peroxide and there is only 500 units of nasties
then there will residual peroxide, and if there are 2000 units, then you
have no peroxide and a residual of nasties. Using an approximate level
means everyone has the same level of nasties, and that is just silly.
You have to dose enough to get the problem fixed, and not waste the
product by using so much that you end up bleaching the roots
So if you have test
strips and there is a residual, then you have protection against nasties
floating in you tank and you add small amounts to keep it there. (under
10ppm would be fine for me) Peroxide won't last for long in a moving
tank of water, so don't panic if it disappears, you are looking that
after adding a small amount it gives a residual reading on the test
strip. If you use a lot to get a test strip reading, then there are
still lots of nasties so dose regularly. The speed of peroxide reaction
is what gives you an idea of what levels are in the tank.
To make the peroxide
last longer out 6% peroxide has a silver ion added which elongates the
effectiveness in the solution and protects the plants for longer. This
product is for home use and is called Hydroshield.
(Nasties: my highly
technical term meaning bad things such as single celled organisms like
fungus, mould, bacteria, and nots so bad things like algae)
Scott
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Fodder Question Can Hay be made from
Hydroponic fodder. 29 Oct 2003
I have a few questions .Has anyone
tried making hay from the fodder produced? If so what if any special
procedures are required. The other is to do with trays. Way back you
said the cost for trays would be $5. But from where did you source them?
I intend to use a insulated shipping container (have seen it produce
successfully )which will produce about 200kg/day does anyone have a
successful more cost effective housing solution? Keep up the good work
very interesting.
Hay from Fodder? You
wouldn't harvest the fodder roots and all, so that would be different.
If you are doing it for storage thats good. Fresh fodder should be more
nutritious though. The Shipping container should be good, keep an eye on
that temperature, stale air pockets etc. I think a lot of constructions
can work. Ventilation is a key to avoid mould. Air conditioners are a
good idea.
Scott
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Good open information
04 Sep 2003
Dear Scott,
I have found your site very useful in establishing my own small Green
Fodder Shed and have been able to produce green fodder using very basic
tools. My wifes shade house, cat litter trays (from $2 shop), quality
malting barley, and hand spraying. While I'm not producing large
volumes, it has helped in times of fodder shortage. A good site that I
also found is http://www.melandapark.com/fodder.html
Well worth a read for those that want
to do it in a small way with good results and at a reasonable price.
Peter
Thanks for the
information. Shows how simple you can make it work. That link seems to
be quite useful. Hope everyone has a look.
Scott
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Dear Scott, Keep up the
good work, your page helps growers by getting the right information from
actual growers, much better than from the manufacturers of sheds . your
page was a great help to me. G
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education
20 Aug 2003
scott i think you should learn a bit
more about fodder before giving people advice about it
I have left the name
off this email as I always do, but it was from an fodder system
manufacturer/advisor.
At first I was a bit
hurt in that I do like helping people, but I won't ever hide from
criticism.
I thought about it,
and guess that it might be a good idea to ask if anyone thinks I should
lay off giving my free advice please email me at scott@hydrocentre.com.au
- and I will quit if I think it is necessary.
All farmers should do
their due diligence and check out that something told to them actually
works before justifying expenditure. I always believed there are easy
ways to grow fodder, and to get trouble free fodder this may not be
entirely possible without setting up a more expensive system. As all
crops can fail so can fodder.
Most of the turnkey
operations eliminate most of the hard part of growing, but leave growers
without a true understanding of why the system works. I guess its a
consumer decision to either choose a system that gives you instant
results and a 24 hour phone assistance, or work it out for yourself. I
speak here of my experience with vegetable farms as well as fodder.
My experience is
almost entirely in the Hydroponic Vegetable and Herb industry and have
helped a lot of people setup in fodder, from my hydroponic experience
(read as not specifically fodder experience) of 13 years. I haven't had
any complaints until today about my fodder advice, so I will continue to
be honest about the whole thing, and hope I never stop helping.
I guess I am a little
down about making any effort to help today.
Scott
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Info relating to photos
19 Aug 2003
For more information on the feed shed
pictured in photos way down below (scott) ,
contact the manufactuer - Robert Charles of the Charles Feed Shed www.hwy.com.au/~rcharles
Email rcharles@hwy.com.au
Phone/Fax 6657 3255
Regards Karen Charles-Hart
Thanks for the link.
Hope everyone lets me know if these links are beneficial to them.
Scott
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automated fodder producing facility
16 Aug 2003
hi scott, thanks for answering
everyones questions. my name is terry colless i am the co inventor of
the automatic paddock. www.automaticpaddock.com.au
the worlds first fully automated fodder production facility. in our
facility trays are automatically seeded, harvested,washed and sterilised.
our facility harvests over 1400 kg of fodder per day with no labour .the
most commonly asked questions from people are about mould and how to
controll it and what weight gains can i expect from this feed. both of
these and many other questions i will be happy to answer for everyone .
you can e mail me at tcolless@hn.ozemail.com.au.
Always happy to help
those who want to help
Scott
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Hello Scott
Thank you for your email regarding our
service and its entry on your webpage. The only correction would be that
our email address has had a minor change as follows: feed.test@dpi.vic.gov.au
If you require further information
about our service please contact us.
FEEDTEST Ph: 1300 655 474 Fax: 03 5571
1523
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Hi Scott,
Noticed you had someone asking about
feeding barley fodder to horses on your 'fodder page' website.
Our website contains a page on this
topic that may contain some useful information
http://www.optigrow.com/eqframe.html
Regards
Lesleigh Research Officer
Opti Grow Pty Ltd
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Found source of "Warning for Cattle
Owners' story
08 Aug 2003
Hello Scott: I have tracked down the
source of the fodder-mould-cattle-death story, both originating from the
same source: Now we know.
http://www.qld.gov.au
Source: Queensland
Gov't - Dept. of Primary Industries
26 March 2003
Caution advised with
mouldy hydroponic fodder The Department of Primary Industries is urging
cattle farmers who are using sprouted grains to feed their cattle to be
extra vigilant in ensuring the grain is not contaminated by a harmful
species of mould.
According to DPI
Animal and Plant Health Service (APHS) principal pathologist Ross
McKenzie, four separate
incidents of cattle poisoning have occurred in the past six months due
to cattle being fed sprouted grains that were infested with a heavy
growth of a particular kind of fungus.
The mould, identified
as Aspergillus clavatus, is identical to that found in similar poisoning
cases in South Africa, Israel, France, England and China and is found in
soil and cereal grains worldwide.
"While the fungus
is well-known throughout the world, the actual occurrence of poisoning
by it has always been considered quite rare,"
Dr McKenzie said.
Producers should keep
a watchful eye out for the fungus, which can be identified in sprouted
grain due to its blue-green
colouring and mouldy appearance. Confirming its identity requires
microscopic examination by an expert.
"It is thought
that the heavy growths of the fungus which poisoned the cattle may have
resulted from elevated
temperatures in the production facilities, especially
during the summer months. In some of the poisoning cases, owners
reported that breakdowns in the
temperature control systems for sprout production had occurred
before the cattle became ill.
"Even a few days
exposure to temperatures around
or above 24 degrees Celsius is enough to cause a flush of fungal
growth on the sprouting grain," he said.
Poisoning damages the
spinal cord and brain tissue, and signs of the poisoning, which may take
up to two weeks to appear, include cattle walking stiffly with poorly
coordinated hind limbs.
Less frequent signs
include drooling saliva, loss of appetite, difficulty with breathing
after exercise and convulsions.
According to Dr
McKenzie, mildly affected cattle probably have a reasonable chance of
recovery from the illness. Of the twenty-five cattle known to have been
affected by the fungus, the eight most severly affected died or were
killed humanely.
Producers who believe
they may have identified the fungus in any type of sprouted grain and
are seeking confirmation should contact the DPI's Veterinary or Plant
Pathology Laboratories through the DPI Call Centre on 13 25 23.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Further information:
Dr Ross McKenzie. Ph: +61 7 3362 9432 Senior Media Officer: Sarah
Martin. Ph: +61 7 3239 3014 Department of Primary Industries Media Unit
GPO Box 46 Brisbane Qld 4001. Fax +61 7 3239 0860 DPI Call Centre
8am-6pm weekdays on local call 13 25 23
AND:
QLD Country Hour
Summary Tuesday 1/4/2003
QLD Country Hour Home
. Story Archive . QLD Country Hour Summary
Mouldy fodder warning
- Leonie Lyons Graziers have been warned to beware of mouldy hydroponic
fodder! The Department of Primary Industries says four cases of cattle
poisoning have occured around Queensland recently - stock were fed
hydroponically grown grains, infested with a fungus known as Aspergillus
Clavatus. DPI Principal Pathologist Ros McKenzie says while
hydroponically grown fodder seems to be the "in thing" and
normally the sprouted grass is nutritious and cost effective, users must
take care. There is no treatment for stock affected by the mould, which
appears to caused by overheating
the sprouting grain. Therefore, Ross McKenzie says producers
should be on the look out for the blue-green mould on feed. Ross
McKenzie: DPI Principal Pathologist
source for above: http://www.abc.net.au/rural/qld/stories/s821612.htm
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will a tunnel suit to grow fodder
07 Aug 2003
Scott I live in a hot climate but have
an old tunnel on my property. It is a cool place seldom above 20 c. and
has a very dry climate inside. Would this be suitable to turn into a
fodder shed? And if so how much and what type of light would be
required? I have looked at both the Fodder Factory and the Automatic
Paddock (fully automatic self seeding and harvesting unit) and I can't
help but wonder if I can do it myself. Thanks for your time regards Al
Lots of growers have
done it themselves. I still say you should try and get some seed and
some trays and water them to learn more before getting into it. Most of
the questions on the site www.hydrocentre.com.au
are from people who don't have the cash to setup expensive turnkey
operations.
Saying that, it sounds
like light levels don't appear to be high to get good growth, and fodder
grown in shade seems to grow well enough. Its an issue of mould.
different depths of seed, humidity, cleanliness, temperature all seem to
play a part. I recommend some experimentation in your shed and see if
mould is a factor. My guess is you might need to look at temperature if
it is much below 18 degrees. Sprouting might become a problem - but give
it a try. Every shed is different.
Scott
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Hi Scott. Saw on your site that someone
was looking for somewhere to test fodder, I had some tests done by
;
Feedtest, Agriculture Victoria, Mount Napier Rd. Private Bag 105,
Hamilton Vic.3300, Tel. 1300655474, Fax 03 5573 0939,
Email -(corrected email is feed.test@dpi.vic.gov.au
)
Regards George
|
WARNING FOR CATTLE OWNERS
06 Aug 2003
I have a fodder factory in operation
which works very well. But I recently got some green
mould on the seed from the 5th - 6th day onward. After sending it
to the lab to get it tested it was identified as aspergillus clavatas-a
very nasty mould toxic to
animals and humans. After doing some research into this mould I
found out that it was first discovered in the 1950 in the process of
making beer. From 1950 to the present it has killed hundreds of cattle
all over the world notable 200 dairy cows in Bulgaria in one hit and
they were feeding them sprouted malting barley ex-the brewery. Some
tests were carried out as brewery workers were getting very sick and
they found it was this mould which spores in the air as well, and in the
old speak is called brewers disease! This paper I have on the subject
notes of test carried out on malting barley and found that 32
percent of sprouted malting barley will contain aspergillus. This
I found quite astonishing as all along I thought the mould problem was
due to hygiene or humidity. But it is not it is a scientific fact that
it grows on the outside of the seed itself. I am writing this as all the
deaths of cattle in Australia from sprouted barley had evidence of this
mould and it is essential that people know not to feed out the fodder if
any sign of this blue/green
furry type mould on the seed. Tests found that in cattle, it
affects the hindquarter first as if the animal is lame in both legs.
Hope this info is useful to others as it has affected our operation and
seems to be solved with a mix of hydrogen peroxide and chlorine in the
nutrient tank, and also rinsing the grain.
Thank You for this
information. Since I have no
knowledge of any deaths of cattle and never seen a green mould, I
am unsure what to say. The moulds I have seen are not green, although
algae is green, and different to the green mould described by this
email. No mould is definitely the best growing situation. I will let you
decide about the above information, and if you have heard more
about
We know that Hydrogen
peroxide is a good sterilizing agent, which is neutralized by Chlorine
(so don't use them at the same time), and Chlorine should kill moulds as
well. I have been recommended R and D Aquaponics anti-mould
product for fodder, and will get some in stock soon.
Please forward this
sort of information for the benefit of farmers. One post below mentions
deaths, but I have no knowledge about that report either. If you have
any further information please advise me at scott@hydrocentre.com.au
and until then, don't panic. I reiterate that I have no knowledge of
deaths, and perhaps I have not been in touch with these growers yet.
Scott
|
Nutritional information
4 July 2003
I'm having a hard time finding
complete info on feed analysis for greenfeeds sprouted from different
grains and beans. I've checked many sights on the web with no luck.
I do too!
http://www.rdaquaponics.com.au/12403.html
is not a bad site from a Sydney company http://www.hydroponics.com.au/back_issues/issue35.html
a story on the fodder factory from Practical Hydroponics http://www.sproutnet.com/nutrition_research.htm
may have some value in some of the articles on Barley etc. http://hwy.com.au/~rcharles
may have some useful information http://www.fodderfactory.com.au
has some info, but you'll need to ask for specifics.
I found these links by
searching www.google.com.au with
hydroponic fodder nutritional analysis - here is the link. I only
searched the first 3 pages. http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=hydroponic+fodder+nutritional+analysis&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
You can try more types of searches yourself.
PLEASE let me know of
any good information on this so I can update my site
Thanks
Scott
|
|
Automatic
fodder machines, are they available???
16 Jun 2003
Hi
Scott,
Have
just found this forum and would like to ask you a few questions, no
doubt I will have others but for now:
I am
interested in the availability of auto seeding and harvesting fodder
machines as it seems the labour cost / time needed to run the manual
models, to some extent at least, undermines the economics of installing
them in the first place.
I
have heard on the grapevine there is one about to be released in WA but
I can't seem to find out much about it i.e. costs, size etc, there may
be others available but it would seem automation is the stumbling block
to market acceptance of fodders feeding and its undeniable benefits
particularly in summer and during periods of drought.
Also
have you any details on the various airborne diseases that affect
fodder, I heard recently a report on the ABC where someone lost their
entire heard (cattle) that was being fed barley fodder but unfortunately
I was driving at the time and missed its name but it sounded very
serious, have you any ideas as to what the preconditions are to these
diseases occurring or where I could find out, cleanliness I understand
plays a large part.
This
is a great page buy the way.
From
W.A.
Good
Questions
1/
Auto seeding - good idea. I'd never use it, because to get the seeds
level on a tray, and automated would be cost inefficient by the time you
have mastered the mechanics. Auto seeding works for other propagation
systems, however I am skeptical of any benefit from automation.
(Automation is my current problem. Too many motors, not enough brains)
For instance, some guy marketing to richer Asian markets has build a
motor driven system that hauls the fodder up to the sun, and down again.
The cost is astronomical, and if the land weren’t so valuable there,
they'd never sell one. Now poor farmers come along desperate to get some
feed to save the farm, put the 200th mortgage on their house just to pay
for the damn thing! What a waste when they could have produced 4 times
the amount with a simpler system using a bit more space.
Gadgets
are good but not always necessary. My 6-month-old laptop here has a
DVD player in it. Like when would I use it???? Business is business. Why
not work out costs on a simple system, vs. a complicated system. I could
be wrong, but also if there's a job in it for someone, and it costs
less, give it a go! If I am wrong then I think that’s good too. At
least we thought about it first.
2/
The cost savings on the whole come from NOT having a complicated
automated setup. Automating some things would work better than
automating the growing - such as automatically washing the seed before
start, automating the tray washing would be a great help, nutrient
mixing (using one of our nutrient dosers) and temperature control with
fans and air conditioners. Having the trays in racks that are on wheels
could help. Wheel them out for harvest etc. Just disconnect the
irrigation first...
3/
I have never heard of anyone losing animals to fodder that animal would
be expected to eat - e.g. we already know that Alpacas get dizzy on some
rye grasses so we don't do those grasses.... Mould is a problem with
some animal’s digestion, but animals generally don't touch anything
mouldy if they don't like it. I hear that cattle can eat some mouldy
stuff because of their four stomachs even. It is possible that an animal
could get sick on any pasture, grown in a tray or in a field. It is
probably an external thing, such as problem in the water supply or some
such thing. Its fairly unlikely considering growing lettuce and tomatoes
etc is a very similar process hydroponically and we humans never get
sick except for the allergies/pesticide residue/contaminations which
make me grow my own at home anyway.
Thanks
for the question. I will remain a K.I.S.S. advocate, but let me know if
you can make that fodder system dance!
Scott
|
|
climate
control
19 Jun 2003
Scott
reading other questions it seems that temperature is all-important -
especially in controlling mould. I've seen models such as the fodder
factory with gas heaters and evaporative air conditioners. Would a
simple heating/cooling unit that you can set the temperature on say 23
degrees and keep the room constant at that temperature work, such as is
available for houses. I am looking at purchasing a shed but have a few
more different models to check out first. I'm more interested in
fattening lambs rather than cattle. Can you please put me in touch with
anyone who might be feeding lambs hydroponic barley as I’m starved for
information?
Hello
Yes
we are all starved for information unfortunately.
1/
Mould is related to humidity. Once the mould is in, the temperature
relates to its growth, and unfortunately the fodder likes the
same temperatures.
2/
Air conditioners seem to be the best way to dry the air, reducing
humidity, and to keep a suitable growth temperature.
3/
Hydroponic Barley is the same or better than normal fresh barley grass.
Ask your vet for an opinion on the barley and other grasses effect on
fattening lambs.
Let
me know what you decide and/or find in information. We are all learning
here.
Scott
|
Not a question - just
thanks!!!
30 May 2003
Scott, Just a quick thank you for
operating this page. I have been trying to make sense of the whole
fodder question and keep finding too many brick walls built by people
who have vested interests. Thanks to all of those who contribute with
such great input. One day I will be in a position to help someone else
out as you have me. All the best Peter
As I sit and answer
all the same question over and over for all those people who ask the
same questions over and over, I find someone who actually reads the
pages. Thanks back at you - nice to be appreciated.
Scott :P
|
Fodder Factory
7 May 2003
Dear Scott,
Thank you for your previous emails. I appreciate
the information given to me.
I have recently heard about the Fodder
Factory and was wondering what, if any, experience you had with it, and
what information you might have about it.
I am extremely interested in finding
alternatives for farmers to help them through the drought.
Thank you again for your time.
Fodder Factory is a
fairly good system. I believe he has built many units, and no complaints
except if the air-conditioning fails it becomes a mould factory.
Should be a good
investment, fairly liberal in the cost of assembly - but you should get
good support from experienced grower which is worth extra money.
Farmers could build it
themselves cheaply, but experience, a pre-built system, and away you go
is very good also.
I would caution
farmers that you usually spend more time operating one than advertised,
especially when inexperienced and some failure might occur in mould if
everything is not clean.
Scott
|
Can you feed barley fodder
to horses?
5 May 2003
Dear Scott
Can you feed barley fodder to horses?
If so how much can they have? Is it safe? Any info on this matter would
be appreciated.
I have farmers doing
it, but check with a vet for safety. I have had a few animals like Alpacas
that can't take certain fodder, and we work thru their vet to discover
how to ensure a good quality feed.
My quick look on the
net at www.google.com.au gave me
these sites mentioning a benefit of Barley especially as a grain, and as
a grass.
http://www.holistichorsekeeping.com/husbandry/wholefoods-nutr.html
http://horses.about.com/care/nutrition/nutrition011903
http://www.care-for-my-horse.com/html/nutrition.html
http://petshub.com/horses/nutrition/horse_nutrition.php
5000 pages more at http://www.google.com.au/search?q=horses+nutrition+barley&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
Hope that is all
helpful and let me know how you go...
Scott
|
Barley fodder unpalatable
20 May 2003
I grew some hydroponic barley fodder
last October with amazing results but the cattle wouldn't look at it.
Took a bit of a nibble and headed back to the barley straw! In a
previous response to a question you said barley can smell pretty bad and
you suggested rinsing it. Was this for the seed going in to the trays at
the start or for the fodder coming out at the end of the process?
Good Question. Farmers
tell me that the nutrient mineral salts on the roots are not tempting,
but once the minerals are rinsed off the response is normal. So instead
of watering fodder last 12-24 hours use plain water or rinse with fresh
water once harvested. How much will be easy to work out. If they don't
eat it, rinse it again.
Scott
|
Work for the Dole for
Farmers
16 April 2003
Dear Scott,
I am currently undertaking a Work for
the Dole project in which we are researching drought relief ideas for
farmers and producing an information CD for them. Part of our aim is to
offer new strategies and ideas to help overcome effects of the drought
and to prepare for future droughts.
I was very inspired by your web site
and would like your opinion on the relevance of hydroponics for farmers
on both large and small properties. I am also seeking information as to
ideal set up situations, costs and effectiveness in producing different
crops relevant for cattle.
I am looking forward to hearing from
you. Thank You for your time . Yours Sincerely
Hello,
Water needs to be
pure, not tainted with salinity.
Overcome that, and you
need to have a business plan. There are lots of crops you can grow, but
need a market to sell the produce. Best crop at the moment is hydroponic
fodder.
Fodder is useful, especially
for breeding stock, valuable animals such as alpaca, racehorses. Takes
about 5-7 days to produce fodder. All the information at that site is
relevant. I will put up this question and let the farmers answer it from
feedback. The best way to find out is get some barley seed (big sack is
under $20) ,put in tray, water with water until moist, when dry do it
again.
Scott
|
Fodder update.
16 April 2003
Hi again Scott
Just as I think the mould is under
control, up it crops again, maybe its the wet weather we have had
lately.
At 63mm , great, I have cut the
watering time back to a minute every 4 hours, with only one water
between 8pm and 8am , we are pulling the fodder out as soon as we see
mould. sometimes I think these sheds should be called "Fungus
Factorys"
Any money in fungus?? But it has kept
my Cattle going.
Regards George.
Georges sheds are in
photos below - Scott
|
Fodder
link for your reference
|
What is the best humidity
level for fodder production
Saturday, 12 April 2003
Scott, we have started a small fodder
shed, and had been told or read a humidity level of around 70% is
optimum. Is this correct as the commercial sheds are using
air-conditioning to control temperature? OR do they re-humidify after
cooling?
We also have encountered mould! Do you
know if a Slow Sand Filter will treat the water sufficiently or will
additional treatment be required. Currently running at a pH of 6.4 and
EC 1.4, would like to know what other people's values are like.
Would like more info on you nutrient
mix. regards Kevin
Scott Responds
Kevin, you sound like
you have it all up and running. The main reason for the Air conditioners
is to keep it under 25 degrees and dry air to get rid of the mould. Dry
is good. 70% is probably too high.
Mould comes off the
seed, and can come from the water. Water can be sterilized with UV,
Ozone, Hydrogen Peroxide, and most popular is Pythoff (Monochloramine)
Standing tanks can be
sterilized with Chlorine/Bleach. The chlorine/bleach must be eliminated
before contact with plants by aeration or Hydrogen peroxide.
pH of 6-7 is safe in
all Hydroponics.
EC 1.4 (This is a CF14
or 700-980ppm depending on your meter) I would think about 0.8 to 1.6 is
fine. Look at your growth compared to humidity and temperature. High EC
slows growth, but increases weight. You may find high EC linked to heavy
growth and slow growth which could be linked to mould in dense growth.
The EC is linked to
the transpiration rate (Its sweating of moisture to allow further uptake
of liquid) which is reliant on the environment. Raise the temperature
for example; there is a higher transpiration (think sweating) and you
have to the lower the EC to get a similar result. Increase the airflow
over the fodder and the transpiration goes up. See our pages on CF
control here particularly advanced
control on pages 3 and 4.
Because of the
environment, every green fodder grower will get slightly different
results even if using the same EC/CF.
Nutrient mixes are
pre-packed General Purpose Commercial Nutrients. I have had much concern
over the trace elements for fodder if using low EC, but high EC works
fine. A fodder mix is on my list, but I am not keeping up with the
demand for my services at the moment so fodder nutrients is on the back
burner at the moment. Want to do it soon. Want a Holiday badly also. Oh
well. Can't have everything.
Prices: Our current mix is a 5kg $50 pack making around 50,000 litres. (use
nutrient from day 3 onward)
Our 20kg pack $120 is 200,000 litres.
Our sample pack is a 1kg $20
Delivery is
negotiable.
Scott
|
| Fodder Update on Mould
Hi Scott,
I would like to comment on mould in
fodder sheds.
We have been using Pythoff , and it is
keeping the mould under control, we soak the grain for at least an hour,
let it drain for about 2 hours, then put it in the trays. We also treat
supply tank, and flush racks when empty. Still get a bit of mould at 7-8
days, but this doesn't effect growth. regards George
Thanks for the update
George! Could you pull the crop before the 7th day so the mould hasn't
set in (Cattle not much affected - all those stomachs - but knocks other
animals about) Is it big enough?
Sounds like a solution
but isn't it a lot of work?
Scott
:)
|
hydroponic animal fodder -
Argentina
Wednesday, 19 March 2003
dear Scott, I'm looking for a formula
of nutrients, that could help me to start. thanks in advance. Martin
Yes, I am too.
I have tried to understand a few different ideas for formulas
but most of the nutrition is just wrong I think.
Primarily there is talk of Cobalt being necessary for some animals,
but no-one uses cobalt.... or understands how to use it.
Secondarily is the higher ratio of trace elements required if using a
low nutrient strength,
and not everyone uses low strength.
Some use high strength which requires a different approach.
I can create you a
formula for general purpose vegetables, which I sell for $50 Australian
to farmers only.
I will be working on a fodder formula with emphasis on animal nutrition
not plant nutrition.
I cannot give you an effective date as to when that will happen.
We sell nutrients here, but you are too far away.
You can always try
local suppliers of agricultural minerals, as they may have a formula.
The only problem is this is new enough that some people will try and rip
you off with a general purpose formula or worse, a high ammonia soil
liquid fertilizer.
If you do locate one, I am happy to give you an opinion.
Good luck and keep in
touch
Scott
|
Smaller fodder operation
Tuesday, 18 March 2003
We are very interested in growing
green feed Hydroponically which would be suitable to feed out to cattle,
i.e. barley/oats/wheat etc. We need to be able to germinate the seed and
grow to about 12" high in a period of about 7 days. We need trays
that would be easily handled . As we are hobby farmers and at the moment
only have 20 head of cattle, we do not require the expense and outlay
required by the Fodder Factory. We would like some help and suggestions
for building this ourselves. Any literature you may have which would
help us get started would be appreciated.
Trays - still a
problem.
Everyone has different needs.
The main thing is lots of slope when the roots become thick and less
when they are still sprouting.
A textured ridge to stop the seeds from sliding is good.
Using a small drill for holes or saw for cutting a slot, the trays
should drain at one end into a plastic gutter.
Many people just use the lids from storage crates.
Plastic manufacturers can supply these fairly easily, and you would need
to drill some drainage holes in them.
We use a tray that is about 65x45cm, and has some ridges across them to
keep the seed from migrating down.
Anticipating the question - they cost us about $3 each, so you would get
them for about $5 or less if there were numbers.
We use black because it requires less cleaning.
Seeing the pictures on
the fodder page in questions there is a very neat greenhouse, with a
light shield (silver reflective) over the top of the trays, and the
light comes in thorough the sides mostly. The grower has used a large
air conditioners to keep it all cool/which is an optional thing.
All the rest of our
information is being posted to the fodder site continually.
The real problem is
companies that have information want you to pay for it.
We don't - in fact we hope to get a video on how to during this year
made up, and a simple nutrient formula
Our current mix is a 5kg $50 pack making around 50,000 litres. (use
nutrient from day 3 onward)
Our 20kg pack $120 is 200,000 litres
Our sample pack is a 1kg $20
As always check the
site regularly, ask questions, but try and do some experimenting for
yourself with some shade cloth, plastic tray and some hydroponic
nutrient
hand watering works enough for testing.
Scott Andrew
|
| Subject: greenhouse mould
> We are only just starting into
fodder production of barley (3 tonnes per day) and have encountered
mould problems. Some of the equipment has pumped with questionable
efficiency. We are starting over with pretreating seed. What dosage of
calcium hyperchloride would you recommend to address the problem, both
through tray washer and overhead sprinklers? Is this the most
effective/efficient product to use, as we are feeding 7-8 day old shoots
to dairy and beef cattle?
Not happy with calcium hyper chloride -
might as well use pool chlorine. Fodder will not be happy.
Has anyone else used calcium hyper chloride?
Ensure there is good drainage in the tray
- no water left, all draining.
wash seed before putting in trays Never
let your hands touch the seed - use plastic gloves. Do not disturb seed
once rootlet emerges.
discard water from first 2 days.
Use nutrient from then on.
Best product seems to be Pythoff - Monochloramine.
Treat all water sprayed onto the fodder. Treat water storage tanks with
a shock dose as well. Ensure good ventilation (this would show as mould
in some places, not in others. Keep the heat down to as close to 22
degrees as possible.... Please don't laugh - I'm serious..... Oh well do
what you can. the higher the temperature, the worse the mould. Use pool
chlorine to wash the trays between crops.
Keep an eye on the fodder pages and
questions, for updates on fodder production.
Good luck.
Scott
|
| I thought I would share
these photos supplied to me by George.
Thanks to his generosity, you can all
see how a working unit is set up.
Click
on the picture for full size pictures.

no 1 Slab 15m.X 6m. no 2, Frame, made on property, goes up. no 3,
Shed ends up. no 4, All frame work up, round holes for exhaust fans,
square holes for air conditioner.

no 5, Canopy goes on. no 6, Shows retractable reflective curtin
ceiling. no 7, Shows air conditioner in place. no 8, Racks made ready to
go in shed.

no 9, nutrient mixing set up, mixed in a 200 l. tank and then transferred
to main tank 22000 l. no 10, Racks in shed and plumbing completed. no
11, barley starts to grow. no 12, 7 days growth.
The shed took about 6 weeks to build.
building the frame and racks took up most of the time.
mould is no 1 problem, humid days
don't help, but up to now we haven't had a lot of them.
The shed has been operating for nearly
5 months, 25 tonnes of barley seed kept it going for over 4 months with
a weekly output of about 7 tonnes green matter and root mass, stock eat
the lot.
The fodder companies of some of these
sheds put the labour down at 2 hours a day, which is a load of bull*** .
You have to spend a lot more time than that, to get good results, but it
pays off in the long run.
Hope this gives you a bit more
information.
Regards George.
|
Mould in fodder factory
Thursday, 27 February 2003
I live outside Kingaroy in Queensland
and have recently installed a fodder factory. I have encountered
problems with mould. The addition of sulphur to the nutrient tank has
seemed to deal with black mould but lately we have gotten a severe
problem with a white mould. This is worse in humid weather associated
with the rain we have been having lately. The cows seem to eat it
without harm but it stops growth and badly affects production. I am
wondering if there is anything I can add to the nutrient tank, like
peroxide, that will help with this problem, and if so what quantities
are safe to use. My nutrient tank is 27,000 litres. I have noted the
advice on presoaking the seed in a 1% peroxide solution but am reluctant
to do this because of the difficulty in spreading wet seed in the trays.
Do you have any suggestions on this?
Humidity has a lot to
do with the problem. Try to air condition the area or use fans to keep
humidity down. If mould is in the air from spores, maybe have your fan
intakes come in from a higher point like through the roof, not near the
ground where mould often lives.
The seed is often the
source of the mould. I highly recommend washing some seed thoroughly and
see if trays washed produce low or no mould. Try also some sterilizing
of the seed as well, use hydrogen peroxide or Monochloramine, and
compare that too. I think it is worth the effort, once you get used to
it.
Sometimes the source
is our hands. Don't touch the seed. EVER. Use gloves. Do not disturb the
seed once it has been placed into the trays.
Sometimes the source
is the water supply. Sterilize the water and test that theory on a few
trays.
I seem to think that
Fodder growing is not as low a labour activity as the sales people try
to make it sound. It is not excessive but washing and cleaning is very
important.
I also think that air conditioners
make it much easier, as long as they are not blowing up. Make it a good
model with too much power.
Good Luck - Scott
|
Hydroponic Commercial
Fodder Production
Wednesday, 12 February 2003
Dear Scott,
Can you provide me with information on how widely commercial hydroponic
fodder production systems are available in the world and how they
compare to each other on performance.
What are the average prices for say a one ton fodder production unit,
and who are the suppliers of equipment and manufacturers of ready-made
units?
I am looking for a unit that could provide fodder for 100 to 200 cattle
or 1,000 sheep.
What criteria are the experts using for crop selection in an average dry
country with hot temperatures?
Thanks for your great website!
(This is from the nation of Namibia)
Scott responds: Thanks for your question.
There are a great number of websites that
describe businesses that produce pre-made fodder machines.
suggestions include www.fodderfactory.com.au
and try www.yahoo.com or
similar search engine for a world search on Hydroponic Fodder.
We are working more to help farmers build
their own than provide pre-built solutions.
Luckily I have many people investigating the very issues you ask
because of Australias worst drought in over 100 years.
Costs? No idea.
It can be as simple as plastic trays in a shadehouse,
with drippers or sprayers providing nutrition to the seeds lying in the
trays.
It can be as complicated as airconditioned coolrooms etc.
Biggest enemy is mould, and airconditioning helps dry the air.
Heat next worst enemy, as many seed like only 20-25 degrees ceclius.
(under 30 degrees for Barley hence this is the summer favourite)
Ready made units?
I suggest looking in internet search engines for those businesses who
can advise and install in your location.
Quantities produced?
We have tried 1/2 a litre jug of seed per tray and 1 litre jug of seed,
and it seemed to produce around 2x the weight of fodder so its difficult
to say, because you throw in drainage and temperature and humidity and
nutrient strength (which noone can decide the same on) and you get 20
different farmers quoting different figures.
Give it a go to find out.
Crop selection?
By animal, then by climate. Try growing some different seed by laying
the seeds on a tray, watering them with plain water for 7 days. Just
wash the seed first, then keep moist with water, and ensure excess will
drain. See what grows and what goes mouldy etc. Harvest is 5-7 days old.
Then advance to design a system with irrigation lines etc, and nutrients
from day 3. The initial test will not be any more nutritional than the
seed as you haven't added hydroponic nutrients but it will test for
results.
On the subject of pre-made machine
suppliers......
I have had them say to me, if you want to experiment, go ahead because
you will fail !
On a small scale, I have not failed yet. So why do farmers have
troubles?
Farmers are yet to solve the simple problem of mouldy fodder
as it does not affect some, and others can't get rid of it.
We are using sterlisation like mono-chloromine, and Hydrogen Peroxide.
I believe that silica could work but it is too slow to activate an
immunity for the fast growing fodder.
Immunity is the holy grail of crop production, so I don't expect to
solve it overnight.
Please keep in touch, as I would like to
make up some sort of page just for Fodder
When we can do more, then we will have the answers on a web page
Until then keep emailling me and I will
keep you up to date.
Scott
Piggery shed into
hydroponic fodder for cattle
Saturday, 18 January 2003
Scott, We have an old disused piggery
shed, built with cement bricks, with some added natural light intake can
we grow barley grass in this type of building, single layered?
Scott's response:
Umm, possibly. The issues would be
- Light - Shaded light or indirect light
- direct light being fairly hard on the tender young grass
- Heat - shed not to stay too hot (best
is 25 degrees!) or too cold. Between 20 and 30 degrees shouldn't be
a problem. Above 30 degrees means mould usually. Below 20degrees
means slow, if any growth.
- Ventilation - fresh air is necessary
for growth, heat control, humidity control and for healthy fodder -
vents and/or fans can be used
- Sanitation - mould can be a
problem,
- Single layer might work well in one
area, not in another, I wouldn't like to say anything about
construction really. I usually ask a greenhouse specialist for your
area what light levels/temperatures too expect in your
structure/climate
Hope that answers some and doesn't create
too many new questions
Scott
ozone generator in shed
Thursday 2nd January 2003
I have a fodder shed 15m.x 6m. Would
your large ozone generator cover this area.
Scott Responds
Ozone is a great way to treat mould. My
latest information seems to indicate washing the seed well with a sterilizing
agent like Hydrogen peroxide, or Monochloramine etc. will
eliminate the fungus/mould problem at the source.
As for Ozone and how effective it would
be, the Variables would be how well the ozone could mix throughout the
room, the leakage rates, it might be too much or too little. Sorry,
can't nail me down on this one.
I will say we give a money back guarantee
with all ozone generators. Mainly because I am such a nice guy (cough)
and also because of the setup problem. I need to help you set the
generator up to spread throughout the shed. We want to have the ozone
effective in all areas, not strong in one area (eventually produces
burning), and weak in the other areas (ineffective). Mixing all the air
with some ozone may require some fans, and some airflow corrections
using either fans or ducting.
Perhaps closing the shed for 30 minutes
per day and allowing the Ozone to build up will work. We want the ozone
levels to be fairly even, so some sort of distribution of air is still
needed. Constant ozone and air flow with the shed open will work too, as
long as you ozone the fresh air entering, and it spreads. In some sheds,
it will never work without modifications, some sheds will work fine.
Without knowing if you can try these
things, I would have to say "Maybe" because it might not work,
the ozone unit is powerful enough, but the shed could be a problem
depending on its design.
Scott
Fodder Growing 16th December 2002
How much is a unit to produce up to 1000kg of
fodder a day? Or how can we find a site / shop / person / advice on
designing / buying a unit that will do this? We have water, but no feed.
Will it work on bore water? We can find site, with prices from 2000,
which we assume is out of date!! Is it possible to get too hot?? (45
degrees is common!) Any help gratefully received!
Scott responds
Very good Questions!
I have looked at fodder and feel we are within 3-6 months of producing
something revolutionary, but not today.
I can tell you what we know.
Barley seems easiest to grow in the heat. Lay the
seed in trays (kitty litter trays or similar sizes), spray or flood and
drain them with a nutrient which has a low nutrient strength but
modified trace element mix. In 24 hours they sprout a root, green shoots
day 2 and 3, by 5 days you can early harvest, 7 days is about max before
they slow down and behave more like slow growing grasses.
High levels of light are not necessary, but cool
temperatures are.
I recommend shade. Since they like to be below 25
degrees and you are that hot, you should forget the shade and put
a solid roof over them, insulated if possible, and shade cloth sides to
the building.
Barley must be well rinsed as the smell from
un-rinsed barley is pretty bad, the chemicals sprayed before harvest
need to be removed, and root rots will happen if you don't. My tests on
pre-soaking seeds to make them sprout have not shown any difference in
speed or results.
The yields relate to how much seed you put in a
tray. Deep layers of seeds give weight for a given area because there
are so many shoots close together. There is more chance of rots and
moulds because it is so dense, and I have encountered that at 28 degrees
fairly often.
Less seeds reduces mould and yield. Also keeping sterilizing
agents in the water helps also. Hydrogen peroxide, Ozone units sterilizing
the water, and Monochloramine all work to combat any mould, fungi,
bacteria etc.
I don't believe you need a lot of money to build a
system, but to make a system 100% reliable, same yield all the time, no
wastage from rots, you would need to spends tens of thousands.
Bore water may be too saline. Have it checked for suitability
first with a water test.
Try the Fodder companies and check with their
customers. They should give you some customers who will vouch for them.
Some companies like www.fodderfactory.com.au
provide a whole service, and provide complete products that will work
well and give you the results you require. I want to do more research
into producing something more cost effective. As I produce more info I
will try and update this site, and this question of viable fodder
production 
Scott

Response to Fodder Growing 16/12/02
I have a fodder shed
You mentioned monochloramine, could
this be used in the supply tank (5000gal) And its cost. This shed
produces over a 1000kg a day, works on bore water, the only trouble I
have is calcium build up and it is blocking nozels, plus I am getting
fungus on 7th & 8th days
Scott again - Yes, but try sterlising the
seed with the Monochlormine first. This may give you a more economical
way to eliminate the mould/fungus/problem. The tank would require a fair
amount to treat, so I would try washing first as the seed is often the
source of the problem. (seed sitting in a warm silo, lots of nasties
could grow there depending on treatment)
If the nozzles are blocking up, there are products advertised in
Practical Hydroponics called Calclear which is a device that is supposed
to help keep calcium available. Might be of use to you. The Bore water
is obviously the Calcium problem. Try a combination of a fine filter
inline to catch any particles, and having a sprinkler rotation, where
you remove a sprinkler and replace it with a clean one, putting the old
one to soak in CLR or some cleaning solution like that. If you
changed/cleaned 10% of the sprinklers each week, would you keep up with
the problem?
As for the fungus, it could be eliminated by the sterilisation of seed
or nutrient. Give it a go, you can't go far wrong. The other answer may
be to use less seed in the tray (if drainage is a problem) changing the
drainage angle or hole sizes, the timing of the sprayers during the
latter stage, or use a really basic approach and just pick at 6 days or
before fungus becomes evident.
Good luck!
Scott

Further responses:
Thanks Scott for your reply, My shed has
settled down, I think most of My problem came from the air conditioner,
it was getting blocked with dust thus making the shed very moist, I am
cleaning the pipes with C.L.R. and using a magnetic filter on the supply
line from the bore, seems to be working ok.
Great! - Scott
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