new research debunks trad views on nutrition

[Folly's place]

So true, off topic. Relevant though.
Mary

 

[EddieSalita]

So getting back on track. As a result of Perris' article i have an update to what I've done. I've had to admit the young (6 wk) pullets like the cracked lupins a bit more than the micronised (flattened ones).
But I'd already made up a whole trial bucket of feed. Which has a 4:1:1 mix of wheat, cracked corn and striped/black sunflowers. To this mix I added 30% lupins. All by volume.
So I decided I needed to crack the lupins so the pullets weren't missing out due to the larger size of the flattened lupins.
I also had a bucket of the whole grain mixed up stuff fermenting that I didn't want to waste.

So I just put it all, including the wet fermented batch, through my horizontal disc woodchipper in separate lots. Which I knew is often used for cracking grain by graziers.

Pics below of the resulting feed. First one is the cracked dried lupins, second is the cracked already mix dry feed, third is the fermenting batch I have had going for a day. The latter two are now cracked wheat, cracked corn, cracked sunflowers and cracked lupins. Looks like the soaked batch didn't crack the wheat as much as the dry batch. Which is good.

In future batches I will probably keep the wheat and Sunflowers whole. Just cracking the lupins and corn.

The hens and pullets happily eat it all now. They have always preferred the finer mash over the pellet or coarse mash types.

So we'll see i guess. Thought some folks might be interested.

 

[EddieSalita]

During the cracking it occurred to me that it would be a piece of cake for me to add any combination and quantity of dried moringa, pigeon pea, desmanthus, cassava or lucerne/alfalfa leaves to the mix. All of which I have growing in quantity. Thus adding a valuable nutritional and protein rich resource that will be incorporated into the fermentation as a finely chopped dry green.
Moringa particularly appeals due to its high levels of calcium and b vitamins. Also a large range of minerals.
Cassava appeals also because it's something they actively love foraging on.

As far as costs go. I haven't done the maths on paper yet. Wheat is $18 for 20kg, corn the same, sunflowers are $40 for 20kg and lupins $30 per 20 kg. All AUD
So this should work out roughly similar to non premium pellet which for me is around $25 for 20kg. Premium stuff is $30. Organic non soy stuff is $40+. All AUD

Happy to have feedback on my ratios or whatever if something is off.

 

[Perris]

thanks for those informative posts; it's great to see real and local food working well for someone else too.
BTW, there's more to micronizing than just flattening: see http://mmfeeds.com/processes/micronizing if interested.

 

[EddieSalita]

thanks for those informative posts; it's great to see real and local food working well for someone else too.
BTW, there's more to micronizing than just flattening: see http://mmfeeds.com/processes/micronizing if interested.

Oh wow. I guess I should read the bag and I would have already known that. Haha.
It's great to know. Because I will continue to get the micronised rather than whole or cracked, and crack them myself.

I think maybe I'm pretty lucky to live in the land of the lupins.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Really nice to see someone in Aus trying it, easier to see what we have available here. I may have a look into some of these things you've mentioned.

 

[EddieSalita]

I did the maths.

Considering 20kg bags are all the same size. I'm just measuring with the feed scoop.

Quantities are:
Wheat: 40%
Sunflowers: 15%
Corn: 15%
Lupins: 30%

At the prices I can get bags for it works out at AUD $25.90 per 20kg (50lbs).

With protien values of 11,15,10,30 percent respectively. The end mix comes out at a touch over 17%.
With foraging protien readily available, and the plan to ferment..... I'm happy with that protien level. I don't have a calculator to tell what mineral or amino levels would be. If someone wants to do that i'd be very interested. But with the ability to add dried cassava leaf and moringa leaf, shell grit, and their diverse pasture/food forest. I'm ok that I'm not going to have a deficiency crisis in the short term.

So the experiment can continue in earnest.

 

[Morrigan]

I did the maths.

Considering 20kg bags are all the same size. I'm just measuring with the feed scoop.

Quantities are:
Wheat: 40%
Sunflowers: 15%
Corn: 15%
Lupins: 30%

At the prices I can get bags for it works out at AUD $25.90 per 20kg (50lbs).

With protien values of 11,15,10,30 percent respectively. The end mix comes out at a touch over 17%.
With foraging protien readily available, and the plan to ferment..... I'm happy with that protien level. I don't have a calculator to tell what mineral or amino levels would be. If someone wants to do that i'd be very interested. But with the ability to add dried cassava leaf and moringa leaf, shell grit, and their diverse pasture/food forest. I'm ok that I'm not going to have a deficiency crisis in the short term.

So the experiment can continue in earnest.

I spent some time considering a similar base mix for myself, but using peas instead of lupin. I concluded it was going to be short on amino acids. I'd love for someone to prove it otherwise, but it seems virtually impossible to provide all the right amino acids without an animal protein. For example, Purina FR, which has soybeans as the #2 ingredient, still adds supplemental methionine and lysine.

Now if your free range is chock full of insects, lizards or other critters your chickens can eat, they might be able to make up the difference. Otherwise, I think like the OP, you will need to give them some type of animal protein on a regular basis.

 

[Perris]

dairy products = animal protein

 

[Chickenberg Goldenegg]

Mongolians ate meat and milk products with little grain. They were large, had large muscles, very study bones, and healed quickly.

Chinese ate rice and vegetables all day every day. They commented how much larger and stronger the Mongolians were compared to them and how they just wouldn't go down when stabbed/shot. Chinese healed very badly and had massive wounded casualties.

The Chinese complained to great length about the Mongolians. Meat makes you strong. Grain makes you weak.