Feeding Value of Sprouted Grains

Nutrition Update
Volume 11 No.2, November 2000

Wet, humid weather during the harvest season has resulted in an abundance of sprouted grain available to the livestock feeding industry. Feeding trials with beef cattle, pigs and poultry show that sprouting has little, if any, effect on feeding value. Data from Alberta and various American universities shows the performance of livestock fed sprouted grains is similar to that of livestock fed non-sprouted grains. Research at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada station in Agassiz, BC, actually shows improved performance of broilers fed sprouted barley (no enzyme) compared to birds fed non-sprouted barley with and without enzyme. Improvements may be due to improved palatability or voluntary intake, solubility and digestibility of other nutrients, and reduced impact of anti-nutritive factors.

Due to the higher moisture content of sprouted grain, spoilage and mold growth may occur during storage. Options for effective storage include ensiling in silos or AgBags. Suspect grain should be checked for molds and not fed to young or pregnant/lactating animals.