{"id":964,"date":"2020-09-15T09:52:04","date_gmt":"2020-09-15T09:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freshsonoma.com\/index.php\/services\/"},"modified":"2024-04-03T04:39:35","modified_gmt":"2024-04-03T04:39:35","slug":"fodder101","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/freshsonoma.com\/fodder101\/","title":{"rendered":"Fodder 101"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Fodder 101<\/h1><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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What is fodder?<\/h2><\/div>

Fodder is a catch-all term for hydroponically sprouted fresh forage. Hydroponic sprouting produces consistent, high-quality feed driven by the properties of germination and early plant growth.

At Fresh Sonoma, we primarily sprout barley and are experimenting with alfalfa. You can also sprout wheat, oats, sunflower seeds, and more.

While the idea of sprouting grains for consumption by humans and livestock has been around for centuries, fodder has gained traction in recent years thanks to advances in hydroponic systems and increasing challenges around drought, agriculture, and the environment.

Our hydroponic system uses just water and light. We kickstart the process by soaking the seeds, then move them to growing trays. They\u2019re watered several times daily and are ready to feed after six days.

The end result has three discernable components: interwoven white roots, green shoots, and residual grain structures. Horses eat all of it!<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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3 reasons you’ll love fodder<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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01<\/p>

Hydration hero<\/h4><\/div>

High moisture content helps with performance, recovery, and overall health<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Lab tests show our barley fodder averages about 83% moisture. That means a chunk of fodder weighing 5 pounds provides almost \u00bd gallon of water for your horse\u2014a helpful contribution to the 6 to 10 gallons of water an idle horse needs to drink<\/a> each day in a cool environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to general health and wellbeing, adequate hydration is critical for performance and recovery. Experts indicate<\/a> that for every 1% dehydration, your horse loses 4% performance ability. If your horse is showing dehydration with a skin pinch or capillary refill test, he\u2019s already 5-6% dehydrated, which means his performance will be notably diminished. In terms of recovery, well hydrated horses are better able to replenish the glycogen stores in their muscles.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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02<\/p>

Premium forage<\/h4><\/div>

Lush roots and shoots offer key nutrients that are easy for your horse to digest and absorb<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Several factors affect forage quality, including digestibility. Plant cell contents are easily digestible, but the cell wall is fibrous and less digestible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can measure the fibrous fraction of forage in the lab using neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) analysis. NDF approximates the total cell wall constituents, and ADF primarily represents cellulose and lignin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forage digestibility is heavily influenced by plant maturity. Young growth has a higher level of digestible nutrients, while older forage has fewer leaves, more stems, and a higher NDF content. Plus, as plants mature, more lignin is deposited to give the plant rigidity\u2014and lignin causes the forage to be much less digestible. This is why we think of \u201cleafy\u201d hay as better quality than \u201cstemmy\u201d hay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We harvest our barley fodder after 6 days of growth. Lab tests show NDF averages 30% of dry matter, with 14% ADF and 3% lignin.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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03<\/p>

Personal service<\/h4><\/div>

As a local grower, we go the extra mile to support your horse\u2019s health and happiness<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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We\u2019re happy to provide customized service tailored to fit your horse\u2019s unique needs. We welcome the opportunity to coordinate with your veterinarian and\/or equine nutritionist to ensure no detail is overlooked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Above all, our goal is to support horse owners and caretakers on their journey to optimize the health and wellbeing of their equine partners.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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How it’s grown<\/h6>

Next-gen agriculture<\/h3><\/div>

We\u2019re excited to be part of a growing wave in farming known as controlled environment agriculture (CEA). CEA systems harness advanced technologies and techniques to cultivate crops in an efficient, controlled manner.

The goal is to implement sustainable farming practices while maximizing yield and minimizing environmental impact.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Optimal growing conditions<\/h6><\/div><\/div>

CEA systems\u2014which include everything from simple greenhouses to full-scale vertical farms\u2014are designed to provide optimal growing conditions and prevent damage from pests and disease. Cutting-edge systems feature fully automated lights and ventilation as well as \u201cclosed loop\u201d watering, where water and nutrient solutions are safely recycled.<\/p>

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Looking ahead<\/h6><\/div><\/div>

We love the small but mighty hydroponic system we\u2019ve built to grow fodder for horses and look forward to continually upgrading and expanding our CEA capabilities.<\/p>

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Research recaps<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Nutrient content: Sprouted barley vs. barley grain<\/h4><\/div>

How does sprouting change the nutrient content of barley? Researchers found several notable differences between barley grain and sprouts after six days of growth.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Differences included:<\/p>\n\n\n\n