# Soaking Feed



## Nudanud (Mar 1, 2018)

Haven't been able to find any info about this on the good ole internet, so figured I'd post a question here in case anyone is feeling prone to muse...

We raise hogs and normally buy regular hog feed by the ton from the closest elevator that offers it. But recently we acquired 3 tons of high energy mix bird food for $.01/lb.

It has BOSS, sunflower kernels, dried fruits, peanuts, and pistachio. The pigs LOVE it. But it's 19% CP. We also acquired an economy mix bird food that's 9%CP (mostly millet, sunflower kernels, cracked corn). We figured out the ratio of mixing to make a 16% hog feed. Figured we could raise feeder hogs for the local broker to help fund other farm projects. 

What I've been wondering is if I can soak that feed? It's the nuts that throw me off. I'm only talking 24hr tops of soak time. Not really enough to truly ferment. I'm not even sure if it's even worth the effort but I thought maybe they would utilize the millet/milo better with it soaked.
Anybody have experience soaking feeds for pigs or any other farm animal?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Soaking for 24 hours then feeding should be fine. But I don't soak feed.


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## Island Milker (Dec 11, 2018)

I soak my feed for my chickens its Chicken hen Scratch whole barley,whole oats,split peas,whole wheat. I soak it for 12 ish hours and than let it sit out to get it to sprout a little bit before i feed it to them.

I am assuming the goats would not eat the soaked grains so i do not soak for the goats.

In my opinion if the hogs will eat is soak I would definitely soak it for them. unlocks a lot of anti-nutrients which are somewhat counter-productive. they end up in the water and can be drained from the feed. IN my opinion the soaking makes them more nutritious. Which could be a selling feature.
Up here we tell people we are selling them chicken eggs who eat sprouted grain! somehow its an advantage to those who are aware of it


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## Nudanud (Mar 1, 2018)

Thanks! Maybe I'll try it then. I just wasn't sure what it would do to the peanuts and pistachios, if anything, but have read that soaking grains makes nutrients more available in them. 

My goats like soaked beet pulp but I would never soak a grain for them for fear of bacteria growth. I've dealt with too many "could be" polio/listeria situations. 

These hogs, though, I wouldn't be direct marketing. I just want raise and sell to the local broker to make some cash. It's really hard to market farm products directly here because the local food movement hasn't caught on. Most people around are very pro-GMO and anti-organic.


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## Island Milker (Dec 11, 2018)

Nudanud said:


> Thanks! Maybe I'll try it then. I just wasn't sure what it would do to the peanuts and pistachios, if anything, but have read that soaking grains makes nutrients more available in them.
> 
> My goats like soaked beet pulp but I would never soak a grain for them for fear of bacteria growth. I've dealt with too many "could be" polio/listeria situations.
> 
> These hogs, though, I wouldn't be direct marketing. I just want raise and sell to the local broker to make some cash. It's really hard to market farm products directly here because the local food movement hasn't caught on. Most people around are very pro-GMO and anti-organic.


I actually soak the nuts i eat. than dry them next to the wood stove.

there are people who are pro gm and anti organic? this is new to me!

Another thing to keep in mind is leaving it up to the animal to decide. There has been some raw meat( i hunt and feed my cat feral sheep) which to my nose was questionable. Never the less the cat ate it. SO just something to consider.


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## Nudanud (Mar 1, 2018)

In their defense, the people I've met that get fired up over anti GMO and organic rhetoric consider it affront to their way of life. 
I live in the heart of Big Ag, upper Midwest. The culture is very slow to change anything mostly because they don't like outsiders here. 
I'm not sold on organic practices...but I'm not a fan of gmo. 
I did a research paper for college and was appalled to find them putting spider genes in goats and fish genes in potatoes. But I digress. :haha:

I've found pigs to be surprisingly picky. I will probably have to train them to accept soaked feed. I don't foresee them just gobbling it up, so giving them a choice wouldn't be cost effective, at least not until they grew accustomed to it, because it would freeze before they'd even try it.


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