Is There Value in Sprouting or Fermenting Feeds?

We’re often asked if our feeds can be sprouted or fermented. Yes! And… The tricky thing is that we have so many kinds of seeds in the feeds and they all sprout at different rates. One type might sprout in four days, and another might not sprout for another week or even two weeks.

This vigorous spot of wheat grass sprouted from a small spill outside the week before. Nature at its best!

Wheat, peas and several other grains sprout very enthusiastically. Whenever we unload a truckload, the local wild birds enjoy the ones that spill, and since we are in Oregon, there is usually enough moisture to sprout them. We even had one little grain of wheat that was left in the office sink on Friday and on Monday greeted us as a six-inch-tall blade of wheatgrass, complete with roots! I should have taken a picture.

This is a good article from the Mother Earth News Magazine about sprouting and fermenting; it points to several studies that determine that there is no substantive nutrient gain by sprouting or soaking grains. And of course, it’s quite a lot of work for you. Read the article for more guidance.