Supplementing with Malted Barley Sprout Pellets

[Stocker Steve]

I can get malted barley sprout pellets in our area. I am interested in using them as a pasture supplement. My understanding is that some folks provide them free choice as a creep feed in the west.

Do have you had any experiences with them as the self fed supplement, or as part of a self fed supplement? What kind for daily consumption and gain resulted?

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Steve

check out this link for info on malt sprouts.

http://www.ingredients101.com/msprout.htm

I have used a 1/3 corn gluten, 1/3 soy hull, 1/3 malt sprouts blend to start & supplement light calves with good results. Am currently fattening a heifer to butcher on this blend. She is eating about 20 lb/day & getting fat as mud. Don't have any problems getting calves to eat the 1/3 sprout blend, however palatibility can be an issue with the malt sprouts. I suppose this could be an advantage for self-feeding, possibly limit consumption. If you try self-feeding it on grass, please let me know how it works.

I'm not aware of any supplement that can be self-fed that is as cost effective as hand feeding byproducts such as corn gluten, dried distillers grains, etc. Seems the cost of additives that limit consumption + mixing, etc increase the cost considerably. If you find something that works & is cost effective, please let us know.

BTW-as a labor saving option, I will feed a weeks worth of feed in 3 feedings instead of 7. Seems to work well. Calves don't seem to know the difference.

Good luck & happy trails.

Brock

 

[Stocker Steve]

I am told that the malted barley sprout pellets are "bitter" so they can be used straight as a creep feed with out over consumption. They cost about $95 a ton here vs. $111 a ton for soy hulls and about $145 a ton for custom blended creep feeds.

I am looking for a low cost high fiber product to blend with $56 a ton corn. Otherwise I would try the straight malted barley sprout pellets. I will keep you posted.

(My accuration experiment this spring was a real eye opener... The dry lot calves ate much more than my feed guy estimated. As I increased the expensive accuration content from 20% to 25% to 30% they pretty much kept pace. The 6 wt. calves were averaging 9 to 12 pounds of accuration per head per day!)