Corn is a useful livestock feed ingredient. It is high in energy but, whole corn is tough for some farm animals to digest. Soaking corn is a way to make it more digestible and enjoyable for your farm animals. Corn is only to be used as a supplement to your livestock feed. It should not be the only thing your livestock eats.
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| Corn Covered with Water |
To soak your corn put your desired amount of dry corn in a large tub or bucket. Cover the corn with water. Ideally only enough water should be added to the corn so that all of the water is absorbed by the corn with no water remaining. The corn will expand as it soaks. No nutrients would be lost in the soaking since all of the water will be absorbed into the corn. In my experience soaking corn for 24 hours is enough to soften the corn for digestibility. Do not let it soak too long (more than 2 days) so that bacteria does not form and damage your livestock. Dip the amount needed for your livestock out of the tub and pour into the animal’s feed trough. Refill the tub with corn and water for the next day’s ration. I have not found any evidence in the livestock manure of the whole corn which suggests that the livestock are adequately digesting it.
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| Dry Corn (left) Soaked Corn after Water Absorbtion (right) |
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| Corn after it absorbed the water. |
Right now I'm taking Environmental Health and I'm excited that we are going to talk about sustainability. We've already touched on it some.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see a recipe from you on how to make corn nuts. I know you have to soak the feed corn to make them for 2-3 days. But is here any other suggestions you would make? Any special seasonings? Would love your help on this one before hunting season hits so we have a snack to take out in the woods. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have never made homemade corn nuts. I only soak the feed corn for the farm animals to make it a bit more digestible for them. Let me know if you do find a corn nut recipe. I would be interested to make them myself as well:)
ReplyDeleteI am glad that it has been helpful. I love it when the weather is cooperative and helpful in producing grass for the cows and pigs, but sometimes in the midst of winter and during drought times it is worrisome in trying to keep the animals fed.
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